Shachal - A Destiny Story
by SaviorsBlood
Summary: With the City's morale dwindling, something had to be done to restore the hope the people possessed years ago. With the return of a name from ashes nearly forgotten, what little faith remains is placed in three unlikely Guardians to bring them peace. Will these strangers succeed in the shadows of their predecessors, or will they crumble beneath the burden on their shoulders?
1. Chapter 1: Reinstated

Chapter 1: Reinstated

A tall Exo stood squarely at a podium in the center of the auditorium with an intimidating aura. Before him was a massive desk that encircled the stand. The five official representatives of each administration sat evenly spaced around the wide desk. Behind each of the five High Councilmen, banners bearing their organizations' crests hung from the ceiling. A light breeze gently caressed the large and loosely draped tapestries. From left to right, the politicians were respectively seated as Dead Orbit, Future War Cult, New Monarchy, Seven Seraphs, and Osiris. Behind the Exo, were another 250 Minor Council members; 50 per administration. They quietly observed the meeting at hand with the utmost attention. Rumor had it that a matter of special importance was to be addressed at the High Council's meeting today, and based on the discussion currently taking place, it would seem that hopes would become a reality; though, for some, it wasn't a shared desire.

"I object. I would have Fireteam Shachal comprised of different members entirely. I am opposed to this particular team being formed. After invested study on your proposed members' files, I have concluded that they will not be an efficient unit, and failure is sure to follow. The individuals are mediocre at best, and do not have the qualifications to be a part of such a renowned fireteam. Allow me to personally form a different squad. There are far more qualified candidates that surpass those that the Council has recommended. These Guardians are not worthy to be members of Fireteam Shachal. Considering it is absurd."

"Do not overstep your bounds, Commander Sideros! Even someone as decorated as yourself does not have the authority to overrule the Council's decisions! Save those who have recently graduated, most Guardians have already joined fireteams. Removing them from the teams they are accustomed to working with will create more difficulties than we can afford. Therefore, we have determined that forming squads from non-enlisted Guardians will provide the greatest general success. I am sure that I speak for my fellow High Councilmen when I say that you are being too harsh with your reasoning. Considering that most Guardians are indeed not experienced enough to be placed within Shachal, our ruling makes the most sense." The Exo remained silent and stern, unmoved by the High Councilman's rebuttal.

The Chief Councilman sighed, "I understand why you of all people are concerned with the fate of Fireteam Shachal's reputation. Though, I shouldn't have to remind you that you are no longer a part of Shachal, but a commanding officer of the FOTC. Your time as a member has passed, so assume the role you are expected to fulfill. If anything, you should be thanking the Council for giving you the privilege of being in charge of your old fireteam. It is an exception never before made. Normally the FOTC high ranking officers would be focusing on more pressing matters than fireteam formations. However, the members of the Council and the people of the City have recognized the contributions made by Fireteam Shachal during your service as a Guardian, Kauson. We will not deny you your earned privilege to command your former unit. But I will warn you. If you try to exceed your authority, we will have no choice but to put this fireteam's charge under someone else."

Commander Sideros grunted, still opposed to the ruling, "As you wish. But this is a mistake. I assure you. The benefit will not outweigh the cost."

"Your input has been noted, Commander, but our decision still stands," stated the Chief Councilman.

The High Councilman of the Seven Seraphs then asked, "Sideros, how many members of Shachal have been assembled?"

Sideros turned his head and paused momentarily, locking his frustrated eyes onto the Seven Seraphs Councilman, "One has already been taken to the Tower. Another is on the way. The third has not been called on as of yet."

"Be sure to order his pick-up immediately upon this meeting's conclusion. After our ruling is made official, we wish that you meet the members directly. Since your command is unusual, to say the least, you should meet them as soon as possible, so that you may make your authority clear. I have faith in your ability to command them, but from within City limits. I want to remind you that your presence is needed here in the sanctuary of the City."

"I agree," said the FWC High Councilman. "Fireteam Shachal and its activity have been decommissioned for 15 years, and its contributions had powerful influence in the past. It would be preferable to resume Shachal's operations post haste."

Each of the politicians murmured in agreement. The infuriated Commander wanted to finish this meeting up as quickly as possible. He heard enough and merely nodded at the Councilman's words for the sake of ending the discussion.

"Then it is decided. Fireteam Shachal is henceforth reinstated for duty and is placed under the charge of Commander Kauson Sideros." The Chief Councilman gavel echoed sharply throughout the Hall, thus ending the Council's meeting.

Sideros immediately whipped around and stormed out of the Council Hall as old men bustled around him. "Damn fools are too complacent."_ To_ _believe that I would be content with only commanding the team._ He flicked a communication switch on his collar. "Get the other one now. Meet me at Loading Dock S-153."

* * *

It was yet another cool dawn under the watch of the ever still Traveler. For centuries, the City has basked under its protective shadow, sheltered from harm like a helpless infant. The sun's light broke over the distant horizon, stretching across the barren landscape, pushing back the darkness of twilight. Sol's shift was beginning, and mine was coming to a close.

Despite being assigned to the night watch, I had yet to feel weight fall upon my eyes. Fatigue hadn't overcome me. I understand that my post is vital and I must be alert. Maybe more so than most. There cannot be any room for failure. That much I have learned well enough. Very few Titans are assigned to the Wall during the night, and many believe our forces are stretched far too thin. Most Titans placed on the Wall during the night hours do not have the luxury of company for the duration of their shifts. But as for me, I prefer the silence, the solitude. It is my only solace, but, again, it is fleeting, and it will be taken from me when the City awakens.

I can hardly hear a faint and gentle breeze, but I'm closed off from it underneath my armor. I can barely sense its presence, but even so, I do my best to avoid the autumn winds. I hate the cold. My memories of such sensations birth unwelcome thoughts. Its chill poured over the Wall and began to flood the City's streets. My last few moments of peace were nearly up. As I took in the sunrise's growing radiance, my visor polarized, easing the intense glare of the vibrant light shining in my eyes. The landscape showed itself and its harsh truth was as hard to swallow as ever. As much as I want humanity's suffering to end, the hope of it seems so far out of reach. I can only imagine what Earth was like before the Collapse, but I think it couldn't have been like this. If my dreams were wrong, then what were we trying to achieve by fighting a battle we were losing. It was such a shame that we were pushed into a remote corner of our own world, a small reservation alien to our own home.

My home, if I can even call it that, is plagued by my enemies. The land before me is corrupted by deceit and poisoned by many dangers. Because of the Collapse and those who vow to destroy my people, we have lost our home to a cause mysterious to us. Just outside our doorstep, lies a foreign world, housing our foes, determined to finish us off for good. All we know is survival, but I know we are losing ground. We all know it whether we admit it or not.

I lost myself in thought and my mind wandered. Yet again, I remembered what I could never forget; I gritted my teeth and my heart dropped. But I have a duty to humanity. And to myself. They would want me to be strong-brave. As many times as I have repeated that to myself, I'm never sure what to think. For now though, I couldn't waver by allowing fear to grip my heart. Terror is as much an enemy to me as those who seek to destroy my people, yet I will always wrestle with it. I long for the day when I can cast aside the shackles of both fear and bravery, and be at peace. I can only hope that time will come for me.

The sounds of life and activity in the City commenced. With my thoughts interrupted, I would have to return to my solace another day.

A faint thrumming slowly reached my ears. Its low pitched roar grew stronger with each passing second. An FOTC drop ship was making its way to my position. Upon its arrival, the deafening growls of the thrusters died as the pilot set the transport shuttle down on the nearest landing platform. The hatch opened with a hiss and out of the poorly lit passenger bay, a man stepped into the sunlight. The Hunter grinned smugly, "Hey big guy, let's get going. We have work to do."


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting

Chapter 2: Meeting

A cloudy morning's sky, aided by the Traveler's gargantuan form, obscured the moon from the City's sight. Thick shadows blanketed the rundown edges of civilization. The streets were empty, shops locked down. A single lamp post dimly lit the plaza. The meager source of light flickered erratically amidst the gloom choking it. Dull and weathered buildings surrounded a lone man standing at the center of the Western Trade District's outdoor market.

"Of all places to be so quiet, it's the City," the man complained to himself. "Too damn quiet," he forcefully exhaled and leaned back against an awning's splintered post. _I miss the good old days._

The mysterious man was clothed in faded, worn mahogany leather wrapped around a black thermal retention body suit and kevlar body armor. His dark black cargo pants were tattered. He wore severely scuffed boots and a deep abyssal black hood with a glossy red trim around the face edge hung from his neck. His gray, stone polished belt buckle framed a detailed wolf head. With most of his attire being so degraded, the hood and buckle looked out of place for the man. His thick hair was solid black, combed back. He had a dark tan skin tone and brown eyes were all that captured the dying light near him. The man concealed his face behind a black mesh mask that wrapped around his head, covering his mouth and nose.

_Four weeks and no jobs. If only the damned FOTC and Council didn't put Titans on the Wall at night, I could slip out of this bore of a City once in a while. And I could find a fight or two while I was at it._

All of a sudden, the man heard the sound of footsteps echoing in a nearby road. He could make out four men closing in on his vicinity. Their strides were forceful, organized, and quick. _Military._ Two of them were taller and heavier than the other two. Clanking sounds were discernable. Their stench reminded him of the general military, FOTC. Faint shadows emerged on a wall and they turned the corner in cadence. Two Warlocks followed by two Titans approached him.

"Let me guess. Those Council scumbags want something from me. Yet again, I'm left wondering why the cowards don't ask me themselves. With a security detail like yours, they shouldn't have anything to worry about. Am I right, boys?" The darkly clothed man sighed, "At least they sent four of you this time. The odds are a little better for you than your friends that were sent last month. How are they doing, by the way?"

The larger of the two Titans lost his temper and bolted after the man, snatching his collar in his thick gauntlet. "Shut the hell up, you bastard! Don't you know who you're disrespecting?! You are a disgrace to Guardians."

"Where did you get that idea from? I'm no Guardian. I'm not as low as you dogs who heel at the feet of the Council. And if you knew what was good for you, you would let go of me sooner rather than later." The man's voice harbored absolutely no fear. His unwavering eyes were calm and cold, like a predator's keen eyes locked on its prey. The Titan soon felt that a blade's fine edge was pressed against his neck. The hooked, serrated karambit knife fit around the hulking Guardian's jugular snugly. The wielder wasn't fooling around. He was fast. And he was prepared.

One of the Warlocks shouted, "Release him! We have orders to bring him to the Tower. The Councilmen themselves might be forgiving, but our orders come directly from Commander Sideros. Do you want to push your luck with him of all people? We have to put up with his mouth until we escort him to the loading bay."

The Titan growled in defeat and his grip loosened.

"Good boy," the man blurted with a short nod, patting the Titan's shoulder. The Guardian's face couldn't be seen beneath his helmet, but it was obvious a hateful glare was set on the man.

"Lukos Chorvo, the Council has ordered that you be brought to the Tower immediately. You will receive further instruction there. We are here to escort you."

"It better be a good paying job. I'm bored as hell with this hole. I need to get out and let loose." The Guardians stared at him spitefully, doing their best to hold their tempers back.

"Lead the way," Lukos said as he sheathed his knife underneath his left arm.

* * *

"Every time I come to the Tower, I'm always reminded of how plain this City is. Is the architecture really enough? The color is all wrong." The Guardians escorting Lukos glanced at each other in frustration, shaking their heads.

"But now that I think about it, the color symbolizes the City and its people well. Bland, two dimensional, and predictable. Ain't I right, big guy?" Lukos looked over his shoulder at the Titan he angered earlier and smirked. The Guardian scoffed and turned his head. Lukos chuckled lightly and reverted his eyes ahead of him.

An elevator was centered in the substantially large first floor lobby. The five men stepped onto the platform surrounded by a clear cylindrical glass wall and the door closed, flush with the wall. The commanding Warlock spoke, "Take us to Loading Dock S-153."

Then a woman's automated monotone voice played over the elevator speakers, _"Access code required."_

The Warlock then replied, "Not one is lost."

_"Access granted."_ After a short delay, the elevator shot up with high velocity.

Lukos' body felt heavy as he looked out the elevator's and Tower's window-like walls. What few stars adorned the sky began to fade as the sun began to surface behind the Traveler. He gazed at the gigantic orb and the City that lay beneath. _Pathetic._

The elevator decelerated and the doors opened promptly. Lukos and the Guardians stepped off and approached a set of thick double doors that automatically opened for the group. When they stepped through, Lukos studied a massive loading bay. Dozens of Dead Orbit engineers and flight specialists bustled around a fighter ship. It was a dark navy blue with metallic silver-white geometric designs stretched across the hull. Its bullet-like body was very sleek and aerodynamic. Upon closer inspection, Lukos realized it was a little larger than a fighter; a hybrid between a fighter and a drop ship. But Lukos knew a little about ships and noticed that its design was optimized for speed, maneuverability, and efficiency more than anything. The ship's hatch had been lowered, left ajar, and the engineers poured in and out of the spacecraft.

"So this is it, huh?" Lukos made a few quick glances around the room and ended his sweep with the commanding Warlock, "Where's the guy who's supposed to tell me more?"

"Commander Sideros must still be at Council Hall. Please wait for him to return. He will brief you when he arrives." As he was speaking, a beep sounded on the Warlock. He flicked his communication switch immediately, listening intently.

An upset mechanical voice responded, _"Get the other one now. Meet me at Loading Dock S-153."_

"Yes, sir," the Warlock said over the dead channel. Then he said to the other three Guardians, "Alright, let's go get the last one."

As they began to turn away, Lukos stopped them, "I'm going with. I have nothing to do here, so I'm gonna tag along." The Guardians looked at each other, remaining silent, "Does your boss even know that I'm here yet? What's it gonna hurt if I take off for a bit?"

The Warlock in charge groaned, "Alright, but keep your trap shut."

Lukos laughed with joy. They left for the closest general transport bay and departed on an FOTC drop ship headed for the edge of the City.

As they approached the edge of the City, Lukos looked out the passenger hold's starboard side window. He could make out a lone figure standing on the Wall. As the shuttle descended to the landing pad, Lukos noticed the motionless Titan staring into the wilderness beyond the City's borders. The pilot released the airlock hatch and Lukos stepped out. The man in black, dark gray, and golden yellow armor ahead stood several inches taller than Lukos. Even though he was clad in bulky armor, it was obvious that the Guardian was very stocky and muscular. He had a broad back and wide, square shoulders. He didn't have much of a neck and his legs were like tree trunks. This man was rather large, even by Titan standards. He stood tall and his chest stuck out but not with pride. He held his head high but Lukos could tell that something else was there. The Guardian looked heavy, tired, worn out. But Lukos dismissed it. For now. The Titan turned his head and looked at Lukos.

"Hey big guy, let's get going. We have work to do."


	3. Chapter 3: Hero

Chapter 3: Hero

The vibrations of the transport shuttle could be felt from within the passenger bay and its constant thrum droned on as well, comforting the cargo on their ride back to the Tower. The four escorting Guardians sat closer to the bow of the drop ship, discussing things unimportant to Lukos. He was more interested in the person they just picked up. The silent Titan sat directly across from him, barely fitting in the seat due to his heavy armor. His head was leaning against the seat's headrest and he hadn't said a word since Lukos and the other Guardians picked him up. The Guardian was too quiet for Lukos. It was uncomfortable and tense. He wasn't like most other Guardians and that bothered Lukos. Normally he could read people like a book, and he knew there was something to this man in front of him as well, but he wasn't giving him anything to work with.

Lukos leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and interlocking his fingers. "So...what's your name?" The Titan remained as still as ever and didn't speak. "You sure are a talker, huh?" Again, no results. "My name's Lukos, if you were wondering." The Guardian still rested against the hull, refusing to reply. Lukos paused for a moment staring at the man seated in front of him. He scoffed and shook his head, "Alright, this is just pissing me off, buddy. I offer you an innocent introduction, and you lack the courtesy to tell me your name, so fine. I won't talk." Flustered, Lukos leaned back himself.

A moment of silence drew out. Lukos, staring at the floor, had his arms crossed, one boot resting atop the other. "Tharsos," the Titan plainly spoke and pulled his head up from his headrest.

Lukos raised his eyebrows, looking at the Titan. His helmet had a thin, wide slit of a visor, solid black. A thick plate guard covered the mouth, with the appearance of smaller plates offset from each other fanning downward to the chin. The same design of plates fanned from the forehead to the back of his helmet. The visor was outlined with a thin golden yellow stripe of paint. The sharp pointed, armadillo patterned plates were black. The base of the helmet was the same golden yellow color as the stripes surrounding the visor. "Ah, so he does speak. I was beginning to worry you were completely anti-social. Fortunately, I won't have to talk to myself around you." _Just maybe I can get an idea of what this guy is like now. _Lukos grinned, thinking he would have some fun with the new acquaintance.

With a click and hiss, Tharsos removed his helmet, propping it up on his left knee with his hand resting on the fanned plates. He had short, dark brown hair. His skin was pale and he had a very noticeable scar on his right cheekbone which trailed to his jaw line, just below his ear. His eyes were a bluish-green, somber and capturing, but bloodshot. He didn't appear to get much sleep. "Sorry," said the Titan, "but I wanted to test your reaction before I answered."

Lukos, embarrassed for being outplayed, chuckled under his breath and smiled, "Good to meet you." Tharsos did not reply, but simply looked at Lukos intensely.

_"Approaching Tower. ETA, thirty seconds."_ The pilot said over the speaker. With a hiss and click, Tharsos put his helmet back on. Lukos readjusted himself in his seat, straightening his hood and leather vest.

The pilot lowered the shuttle towards a general transport platform, gently touched down on its surface and disengaged the engines. He released the lock on the hatch. "Alright, follow me." The commanding Warlock gestured to Tharsos and Lukos to follow him. The two Warlocks stepped out first, followed by the escorted men. The accompanying Titans trailed behind.

Upon entering the Tower, the group found themselves in the Honorary Hall of Guardian History. The museum was filled with records and documentation permitted for public viewing. Plaques, sculptures, and salvaged pieces of equipment were up for display throughout the massive hall. The escorts, Tharsos, and Lukos passed dozens of statues of legendary Guardians honored by the people of the City and even more so by today's Guardians. They were symbols of example, intended to increase the morale of present and future soldiers. Tharsos slowed his pace, turned his attention to a particular figure shaped from black granite. He was standing on a vanquished Fallen Captain. His left foot was firmly placed atop the back of its head. The armored man stood with honor and pride, signifying strength and bravery as his arm stretched forth invasively, pointing to the frontlines with authority. His rifle was gripped tightly at his side.

Lukos, noticing Tharsos' absence, turned to see the man staring up at the massive sculpture of a Titan standing above a defeated Fallen Captain. Too curious to dismiss it, Lukos strolled toward Tharsos and the granite statue. When he reached Tharsos, Lukos spun on his heel, and observed the work of art. He then looked down at the name plate on a slab of gray polished stone. "Thumos Katenos..." murmured Lukos. "I've heard of him. My dad used to tell me stories about this guy. I guess he was a legend among legends. They say he was born a leader and everybody had the highest hopes in him, thinking he would be the Guardian to lead humanity to victory." Tharsos remained unresponsive, simply staring at the figure. "He's a Vanguard." stated Lukos. "It's too bad he's gone though. At least he died a hero."

Lukos took one last glance at Tharsos, who still hadn't removed his gaze from the statue. The Hunter frowned in confusion, unsure what to think of the Titan. "Come on, big guy. We'll be late for the briefing." He turned and began walking toward the four escorts who were standing by at the exit.

Without moving, Tharsos muttered under his breath, "A hero." He then removed his eyes from the sculpture of Vanguard Thumos Katenos, and returned to the escorts and Lukos.

* * *

We reached the hangar double doors and, without breaking stride, entered the loading dock. Specialists and engineers were scurrying about the ship, running maintenance presumably. The four escorts led Lukos and me to the rear of the fighter docked in the hangar.

A woman was sitting on a cargo crate. I had never seen anyone more beautiful. Her skin was the palest of blues, nearly white. It's icy color seemed to have a soft luminescence. She was slender and about 5'6". Her hair was thin and straight, draped over her shoulders, and glowed bright blue. As we approached, the Awoken woman looked up at us, taking notice of me, who was without a doubt, looking at her. Luckily, my helmet concealed my amazement. She gave me a gentle, comforting smile. It was warm, despite her cool appearance. Her piercing silver eyes were inescapably alluring. Somehow, I managed to peel my eyes from hers.

Lukos, unable to miss any detail, noticed the exchange of looks. He looked at the girl, nodded his head slightly and turned to me with a smirk, "Pretty lady. Don't you think, Tharsos?" I ignored his statement, looking ahead intently.

The Awoken woman rose from her seat and approached us. Lukos grinned, "Hey, miss." She nodded at him and stood before us, smiling as she spoke in a soothing, ethereal voice, "Hello, I'm Selana Kaiah. It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask your names?" She politely bowed her head.

Lukos replied, "My name is Lukos." He placed his hand on my left shoulder, "And this here is Tharsos. Nice to meet you."

"Ma'am." I said with a firm nod. She cocked her head to her right slightly, still smiling. She began to speak but was cut off.

The commanding Warlock shouted, "Attention! Officer present!" A tall Exo entered the bay. His footsteps were very heavy and fast paced. The four escorting Guardians snapped to attention, as did Selana and myself. Lukos, however, relaxed himself. The Exo stood at least four inches taller than me. His metallic body was colored a faded red orange. Black and crimson armor encased the giant's exoskeleton, giving him a titanic stature as he turned toward us. His eyes burned with a menacing, fiery orange, darting back and forth from all three of us. He stood silently for a second, his eyes fixated on Lukos. Lukos noticed, but didn't adjust his posture.

The Exo slowly approached Lukos. His armored boots clacked loudly on the hard metallic floor. The echoes boomed in the hangar. After a few paces, the Exo stood directly in front of Lukos, glaring down at him.

"Fall in." The Exo's voice was deep, coarse, and mechanical, and despite his collected tone, it was obvious he was upset and had no patience. Lukos responded with a defiant glare. He still remained rebellious, refusing to stand at attention for the Exo officer. "FALL IN!" The Exo roared with fury, and utter silence fell in the bay. The workers even stopped bustling and remained quiet, as if fearful to even breathe. Lukos didn't move. And he still held the same glare at the Exo.

The Exo then, in rage, paced back and forth in front of us making eye contact with each pass, "I am Commander Kauson Sideros. I will be your commanding officer henceforth, and Fireteam Shachal, reinstated as of today, will be composed of you three Guardians. Against my advisement, the Council picked you to tarnish the name of Shachal. I will be blunt. I have absolutely no confidence in your abilities or experience. I know every detail of your files. Frankly, none of you are worthy of being a part of this fireteam. Each one of you are pathetic excuses for soldiers and I am expecting nothing more than failure from you. It is that simple. But if you feel that I am wrong, then prove it to me. If you want to humble me, then achieve more than that of the last Fireteam Shachal."

"Wait a minute. I am _not_ a Guardian. I thought all this was going to be was another freelance op. I am not a team player," Lukos said in frustration.

Commander Sideros returned to Lukos and looked at him, unimpressed, "Now you are."

"How is that? You don't seriously expect me to just go along with that, do you? I hate you Guardian bastards," Lukos argued, angered with the news.

Sideros then asked, "How does a pay grade of tenfold sound? I know you have not had a mission in over a month. I know how greedy you are when it comes to money, but I also know how much more greedy you are when it comes to action. Did you think that the Council could not convince you? You were too easy to buy, you fool. Let me inform you. The Council and FOTC have the power to suspend your activities as a mercenary, indefinitely if need be. You know this better than I do. You cannot refuse this offer." Sideros looked at Lukos with amusement, "Welcome to the Forces of the City...Guardian."

Lukos, processing the information, was at a loss for words, wearing a furious expression.

"It is disgraceful for such a decorated and honored fireteam to be comprised of an egotistical mercenary, a spoiled bookworm, and a broken, mentally unstable soldier." Sideros stopped in front of me, staring into my visor. Even with my face hidden, it felt as if he could see me just as well with my helmet removed.

Sideros stepped backward, "I have introduced myself as your commanding officer, but now you are a team. You need to know who your teammates are. If you have not met yet, then pay attention. I will commence a roll call."

"Chorvo, Lukos," Sideros said. Lukos held the same expression. He was aggravated, maliciously glaring at Sideros. No response came from the Hunter.

"Kaiah, Selana."

Selana replied promptly, "Present, sir."

"Katenos, Tharsos."

"Sir."


	4. Chapter 4: Preparation

Chapter 4: Preparation

Lukos' head snapped to his right, taken aback at the name he just heard. _Katenos? Tharsos is a Katenos?_ Lukos redirected his eyes to Sideros. The towering Exo Commander stood uncomfortably it seemed, watching Tharsos. It was hard to read an Exo's facial expressions, if not impossible, but it appeared as if he knew Tharsos. The tension in the air was thick. _What the hell is going on?_

Sideros' discomfort dissipated almost as soon as Lukos noticed it, and he removed his attention from Tharsos. "As I have said, I doubt in your capabilities. Why the Council does not? I do not know. There is absolutely nothing I can imagine that would give me confidence in this team. Out of the three of you, Chorvo has had the most field experience. He is the most comfortable in a firefight, but he is an unpredictable liability. Kaiah, spoiled by her parents, has only studied combat tactics in a classroom and has yet to touch a battlefield. And Katenos relinquished himself from field duty four years ago, retiring himself to Wall security. He has not been in battle for years and I fear his skill has suffered."

"It shocks me to think that the bulk of the Council agreed to toss you into Fireteam Shachal. As much as it sickens me to see the Council scrape you three from the bottom of the barrel and place you in my fireteam, you scum are under _my_ command. I expect you to follow my orders at all times. I own you. Not the City. Not the Council." Sideros paused, exchanging distasteful glances with the three Guardians in front of him. "Shachal needs to be tested. I need to see exactly what each of you will do on the battlefield. Your first assignment will allow me to assess your strengths, weaknesses, teamwork, individual skills, and mission efficiency. I will personally accompany you on your mission to directly observe these elements. I will be watching closely."

The Warlock in charge of the escort party then interjected, "Sir, permission to speak?"

The Exo Commander, annoyed, growled, "Granted."

"Sir, official Council regulations demand that someone of your rank must stay within the City, unless under certain special exceptions. Wouldn't you be disobeying the Council, Commander?"  
"To hell with the Council. I do not care if they used to be Guardians as youths. Those fools no longer remember what it takes to be the best of the Guardians. Without the presence of the FOTC Command, they would coddle every soldier to the point of fearing the very sight of a rifle."

The Warlock shifted, appearing as if he were going to reply, but stopped himself. He knew he could do nothing to sway Commander Sideros' decision.

Sideros hadn't removed his burning gaze from the new members of Shachal. "Your assignment is a low risk mission. Seeing as how you three have not worked as a fireteam, I thought it best to give you a simple task for your first deployment. Dead Orbit recon teams discovered a small regiment of Fallen grunts scavenging a pre-Golden Age city. Your objective is simple. Eliminate every one of the Fallen. No prisoners or survivors. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," stated Tharsos and Selana simultaneously. Lukos refused to acknowledge the Exo's orders.

Commander Sideros, taking notice of Lukos' disobedience, peered in anger at the Hunter, but remained silent on the matter. "Head to the armory. Supply yourselves accordingly. You have exactly one hour to prepare for the mission and return here to set out for immediate deployment. Your personal weaponry has been requisitioned and is waiting for you in Fireteam Shachal's exclusive weaponry sector. You are dismissed."

"Sir," Tharsos and Selana confirmed. The three Guardians turned and headed for the hangar's exit.

Sideros attentively watched as the team exited the dock. He watched Tharsos in particular, but his thoughts remained a mystery.

* * *

The armory was tremendously busy. Guardians chaotically spilled in and out of its multiple doorways, spread out amidst the adjacent hallways. Titans, Hunters, and Warlocks, all sporting different types of armors and equipped with hundreds of weapons, littered the armory levels. The halls were filled with the chatter of all the soldiers, the indistinguishable talk almost disorienting. As we walked side by side down the hall, approaching the center entrance to the armory itself, we passed dozens of Guardians. Some complete fireteams bearing their respective squads' emblems on their uniforms and armor. Some stared at us in curiosity. Others merely found a simple glance too much attention. We stuck out amidst the crowd of soldiers traversing the hallways. I came to the conclusion that it was obvious we were a new unit. When we reached the end of the lengthy hall, we were greeted by a reluctant security officer at the armory checkpoint.

"Purpose in visiting the armory?" he asked unenthusiastically.

"We are being deployed shortly and need to gear up. We were told that our personal equipment has been requisitioned and is being stored," I informed the officer.

He queried, "Fireteam?"

"Shachal," I said.

"Alright, I was notified about you guys. I understand this is your first time here. Your designated sector is in the sixth block. The armory is comprised of four levels with nine zones per level. This is Level Three. You'll find the sixth block if you head east from the central, or fifth, block. Currently you are in the eighth, so head north," the checkpoint officer mumbled. He pointed toward the central zone and let us be on our way.

As we approached the middle of the armory, we passed scores of aisles, cramped together, lined with cargo compartments and lockers hundreds of storage spaces long. It took awhile to reach the fifth block and, upon arrival, I realized how massive the Tower's armory was. Much larger than the barracks' armory I was accustomed with. The center was far different from what we had passed. Unlike the surrounding blocks, it had dozens of wide workbenches lined up evenly throughout the area. Deafening echoes of several hundred Guardian voices ricocheted throughout its entirety. The sounds of clattering parts cluttered the air as Guardians surrounding the workbenches disassembled and reassembled their weapons. Earsplitting gunfire could be heard from the northern second block's firing range.

"This must be the fifth block," Selana said with a calm tone. Her voice could hardly be heard beneath all of the noise.

"Yeah, yeah," Lukos said shortly, "let's just get to our sector."

We began to head east, weaving our way through the maze of soldiers and equipment. As we walked, I looked to my left and right, observing the Guardians working with several types of weapons and armor. There were so many variations of gear being customized and worked with. There wasn't enough time in a day to study all of the equipment. With that in mind, I redirected my attention ahead. We were nearing the eastern-most block. As we reached the border, the three of us stopped and turned to face each other, one shared thought on mind.

"He didn't tell us where our sector was," Lukos complained, scowling as he scanned the area.

His demeanor had changed drastically from earlier this morning when I met him. It was obvious that he was upset with Commander Sideros at the briefing. I think some of it could be attributed to hearing my name as well. But I pushed the thought aside. We needed to find our sector as soon as possible.

Just then we were approached by an old man suited up with some medium grade armor. It was mostly gray with some dull orange lining throughout the threading. Parts of his uniform were armored with lightweight plates, including his forearms, torso, shins, and right shoulder. He walked toward us with a crooked smile on his face, prominent wrinkles appearing. He must have been at least fifty years of age. His sandy blonde hair was becoming consumed by silver at his sideburns. Despite his age, he was very lean and fit. His blue eyes shone with experience, but also reflected a pure heart.

He stopped in front of us with a seemingly over-happy grin pasted on his face. "Might ya' lads and lass be the members o' Shachal?" he asked with a Scottish accent, looking back and forth from the three of us waiting for an answer.

"Yes, we are," Selana replied. "Why do you ask, kind sir?"

"Ah, a polite lass, ya're, missy. Ma' name is Kaeneth. Kaeneth Atos," the old Hunter said. "I was sent here ta' help ya'. I hear ya' need ta' get ta' your sector, right?"

"Correct," Selana cheerfully said.

"Sideros sent you?" Lukos asked curtly.

"Aye, that he did," Kaeneth responded. "Follow me. I'll take ya' ta' your sector. I know this place like the back o' ma' hand."

We followed the senior soldier through the labyrinth of lockers in the sixth block, and then he turned to me and said, "Been awhile, eh, Tharsos?"

I shook my head and replied, "Forgive me, but I don't recognize you."

"Aye, it's been a long time. Age hasn't been good ta' me, I guess. Doesn't surprise me that ya' don't remember. I met ya' about fifteen years ago or so. Ya' were just a young lad at the time."

Confused, I started to ask him about meeting me. But before I could we reached our sector, a section of lockers with our names engraved on plates next to a keypad. "Here ya're, kiddos." Kaeneth handed each of us cards which gave us access to the glass-encased keypad itself. "I'll see ya' later, Shachal." Kaeneth smiled again and left us to ourselves.

I didn't get a chance to ask him about how he knew me. But it wouldn't be strange for me to forget. I try to avoid thinking about then. I stood staring at the steel nameplate on my locker in front of me, distracted by my thoughts. I was brought back to the present when two beeps sounded to my left. Lukos and Selana had already opened their storage compartments. I looked over at the two and noticed Lukos was looking especially upset. He reached into his locker and withdrew a huge revolver. It was gunmetal blue, save the handle and an extravagant design engraved across the receiver and barrel, both being a pearlescent white. A similar design was on the handle as well, only colored a metallic blue. It was a skillfully crafted revolver. Lukos released the cylinder and checked the ammunition. He then spun the stocky cylinder, snapping it back into the receiver.

"So how are you related to Thumos Katenos, Tharsos?" Lukos asked me without removing his eyes from his sidearm.

"He's my father," I told him.

"Didn't find that worth mentioning at the museum? I think you being his son would be relevant information." At this point, Selana looked over her shoulder, unable to refrain from hearing the conversation. She turned and leaned against her locker, listening quietly to what more there was to say.

For a moment I searched for the words. Now Lukos was standing squarely in front of me, his massive revolver at his side. "Why does it matter if I didn't tell you about me? We don't know each other."

"It matters because I have to work with you. How am I supposed to work with dishonest teammates?" Lukos retaliated.

"You didn't know we were going to be teammates. I have my reasons for not mentioning it. That's all you need to know," I said, but he didn't appear to be satisfied.

"How long do you think that's gonna last? As much as I hate it, I have to work with you. Since we're going to be spending so much time together, we're going to need to know each other."

We exchanged glares, silent and unmoving. "When you decide to tell me what was taken from you, I'll tell you about me," I boldly said to him. Lukos blinked, his expression changed drastically again. He dropped his head and turned away from me.

"Hurry the hell up," his cracking voice barely heard. "We'll be late."

I stared at the mysterious man's back and didn't respond. I shifted and swiped my keycard through the slot. A beep sounded and the lock disengaged. I reached into the locker and latched onto the heavy LMG sitting inside. "Hail of Fire." Its body was painted a charcoal black and ash gray capturing a detailed pattern of molten rock. Between the crevices of the molten earth, was a fiery, vibrant orange. The barrel sported the same orange paint, appearing as if it was burning. It was drum fed and a holographic sight was attached to the machine gun.

"Finish gearing up," I told my teammates. Lukos went to his locker and snatched an old bolt action sniper rifle from it, immediately slinging it around his back. The rickety rifle had a worn steel paintjob and its frame was severely scratched.

Selana looked at me compassionately. A short and weak smile disappeared quickly as she grabbed her weapons. The strikingly beautiful Warlock, adorned in dark pine green and midnight blue armor, and black trench coat, carried a compact assault rifle, hardly much larger than an SMG. A modified reflex sight was mounted on it, and a built-in fore grip was cut out of the metal plating encasing the body. The front and top were painted a glossy, blood red. The rest of the rifle was matte black and gold. She also had a fusion SMG slung around her shoulder. It was a dark lavender and white with thin yellow stripes falling between the purple and white paint.

After seeing them ready, I finished equipping myself with ammunition, grenades, and the like. With it nearly empty, I stared into my dark locker and removed the shotgun resting inside. It was painted black, gray, and white with sharp, geometrical lines stretching across the body. Out of habit, I examined the weapon quietly, letting my arms feel the weight of the shotgun. Taking a deep breath, I squeezed the pistol grip and loaded it to the maximum of six shells. I slung the semi-automatic "Make My Day" shotgun around my shoulder and equipped my "Hail of Fire" LMG.

"Alright, let's go," I started off and was followed by my teammates at either side of me. The return to the hangar would be a long and awkward one. I could only hope that this mission was going to work. I began to understand why Sideros doubted us. This early as a team, and even I feared what might happen. I gripped my rifle tightly and quickened my pace to Loading Dock S-153. I glanced at Lukos to my left. His furious gaze was locked ahead. _We have to make this work._


	5. Chapter 5: Remember

Chapter 5: Remember...

"Still nothing. I graduated two months ago and still nothing. I haven't even been notified about any fireteam positions. No placement exams or missions. I'm getting anxious. I gotta get something soon, right, Tharsos?" The freshly graduated Guardian sulked next to me with a single corner of his lips forming a frown. His eyes hung low as we sat at the bench in the park. Its landscape was covered in lavish and extravagant furnishings and vibrant, colorful vegetation. The sun seemed to shine brighter here, even though thousands of trees of dozens of kinds shaded much of the expansive recreational area. I was embraced by my surroundings when a warm breeze swept through the comfortable resort as we talked.

"The question is, how often have you followed up with your superiors in charge of fireteam formations?" I asked him.

"Plenty!" he replied, burying his face in his hands. "I don't get it. Why won't they let me get my hands dirty? They know who I am and they know that I didn't slack off in the Academy. I worked as hard as I could for seven years to catch up with you, bro. You already have four years on me, but at this rate, I don't know if I'm gonna be stepping foot outside of the Wall."

"I don't know, little brother. I don't know." I said with a comical smile on my face.

Thureos, my 16 year old brother, four years my junior, looked up at me with his lips curling up into a grin. "Don't mock me, Tharsos. I'm being serious here."

"Sure, sure. I get it," I said playfully, chuckling afterwards, consequently making him laugh and shake his head in defeat. I placed my hand on his shoulder and shook it as I spoke, "Don't get impatient, Thureos. Your opportunity will come around when it's time. Until then, just keep yourself sharp. That's what Dad would have told you anyway."

We both went silent for a moment, taking in the restfulness of the outdoors. Bringing Dad up wasn't easy.

"I wish I could remember him better," Thureos murmured.

I could understand why he was frustrated. For years we've been recognized and praised for being the sons of the esteemed Titan and Vanguard, Thumos Katenos. Thureos was only six years old when Dad died, and he was gone a lot of the time on missions too. My little brother didn't know him very well, unfortunately. But even though Dad wasn't around a lot, he was a good father. I could remember that much very well. I never looked up to anyone else. I could care less if the City had taken notice of his accomplishments or if the people constantly congratulated him everywhere he went. He still would have been be my hero regardless. And to this day he still was.

"He was a good man. Take my word for it." I looked at my sibling and patted his back firmly. "I gotta go, Thureos. I have an appointment with the FOTC Command. I'll talk to you later, bro." I gave him a short wave as he nodded and remained seated at the bench.

I made my way out of the park's nearest entrance and to the FOTC Headquarters. I had a proposition for them and I wouldn't take "no" for an answer. One way or another, they would accept my offer. Sometimes, being the son of a hero had its upsides. I smiled and quickened my pace to the FOTC HQ.

* * *

A few hours had passed, and the sun was nearing the horizon. The Traveler's gargantuan shadow already hung densely over this side of the City. I returned to the park after my meeting with Command. Despite darkness falling, the view was still amazing. A warm air still lingered, and I noticed my brother hadn't left. He was still gloomily sitting at the same bench I left him at earlier. I approached the young Guardian with a smirk on my face.

"Hey, Tharsos," Thureos muttered.

"Hey," I responded, sitting down and looking at him with the same grin.

My brother looked at me with confusion, "What?"

"I was thinking of what I could get you for your 17th birthday tomorrow, and only one thing came to mind," I said smoothly and leaned back.

Thureos turned and squinted his eyes, trying to understand what I was getting at. "I pulled some strings. I convinced Command to place you in my fireteam and we have a mission tomorrow afternoon." I watched his expression intently, waiting for his response.

"You're not messing with me, right?" he asked. But I could already sense belief in his eyes and voice.

"Nope," I simply said. His face lit up and a wide smile stretched across his face.

He began to laugh excitedly, "Thanks, brother! Finally, I can start being a Guardian. And we are going to be working together too. How much better can this get?" He was overjoyed and that made me happy. I smiled in response to his actions and put him in a playful but strong headlock.

"Now remember that I'm your superior out there. You better listen to me, alright?" I said as I looked down at my overpowered sibling.

He laughed, pushing at my torso in a desperate attempt to remove his head from my arm. "Yeah, I know, man. I know." His tone changed when he stopped trying to escape from my headlock. "So what are we doing tomorrow?" My grip loosened and I let him sit back up. His short, light brown hair was a mess from his struggling.

"Nothing too bad," I told him, now in a more serious tone myself. "Dead Orbit patrols noticed that a company of Fallen and Cabal, strangely enough, made a stop in Old Denver a week ago. Apparently they've moved on, but we're supposed to go on reconnaissance there and see what they were up to. There shouldn't be much combat, if any at all, so don't get too excited for a fight. Missions outside of the Wall are different. You have to take your time and work your way into it. You got me?"

Listening to me closely, he nodded his head in agreement, "Alright. I understand, Tharsos. With Dad and Mom gone, you were the only one to teach me anything. I trust and appreciate your advice."

I was surprised with my little brother's maturity. I had expected him to refuse a combat deficient mission. Even for being a kid, he had grown up a lot being in the FOTC Guardian Academy. Seven years of strict discipline was a long time though. I remember when I entered at the age of 10 shortly after my father died. The following seven years weren't anything I had expected. The routines and the training were extremely harsh. The FOTC couldn't risk having soldiers who weren't strong in body and mind. They couldn't afford having a single weak link on the field. Every soldier was significant. Every mission mattered. And every death was a tragic loss to humanity, no matter how skilled the Guardian was.

I remember feeling the same way about my first mission four years ago. I had learned that every step toward becoming a Guardian was a learning process, and the same rule applied even after you were one. You could never be fully prepared for whatever came next. Anyone who tried to tell you otherwise didn't know what they were talking about. But fortunately, I had learned to improvise and learn quickly, thanks to my seven years of training. I was relieved to see that Thureos had taken the same things from the Academy as I had.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow at the Tower. Loading Dock T-088. Make sure you're there by noon. Be suited up with all of your gear loaded before you arrive. We'll be heading out immediately. Go get some rest, little brother." I gave him a respectful nod as he rose and returned the gesture in confirmation. I was confident in him. How much longer could I call him "little brother"? We headed for the exit together. At this point, the warm sun had begun setting. We parted ways when we stepped out of the resort.

Thureos turned, "Hey, Tharsos." I stopped and faced him. "Thanks, big brother," he said with a pleased expression on his face.

I smiled with pride in my sibling, "No problem, Thureos. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

Lukos had been silent for the duration of the flight. But even keeping to himself, he couldn't help but notice that Tharsos seemed to be deep in thought. He barely moved since they boarded and he hadn't said a word either. The bulky Guardian was seated at the back of the passenger bay, and he had been looking at the floor, presumably, the whole time. It was hard to tell what Tharsos was doing with his helmet on. But if Lukos had to guess, he was thinking about something personal while they waited for the drop off.

"Tharsos," Lukos plainly spoke. Though delayed, the Titan lifted his head and acknowledged the Hunter's call. Based on the body language, Lukos thought that he guessed correctly.

"What?" Tharsos asked him.

The crafty Lukos recovered quickly, "Tell me about your rifle. If it has any special capabilities, we should know. This way we can plan accordingly, should we ever need to." Lukos, curious about the Titan's thoughts, waited patiently for his explanation.

"My machine gun is called 'Hail of Fire'," Tharsos started. "Its fire rate is relatively slower than an ordinary LMG, but its power has been increased significantly. It's not the most accurate of rifles and has a lot of kick. It's drum fed, as you can see, and holds a maximum of 80 rounds." Tharsos paused in the middle of his description. "The bullets themselves are the special feature. Osiris and FWC worked on these unique penetration rounds for years. The bullets themselves are made of a strong tungsten based alloy with an exceptionally high melting point, and house an explosive compound in the projectile that produces localized incendiary effects upon detonation. The friction in the barrel superheats the rounds exponentially higher than an average round, resulting in greater penetration. The thermal output causes the projectile to appear bright orange after firing. It can pierce through several inches of high grade steel alloys. So virtually all rounds will have an entry and exit point when fired into a biological entity. Depending on what that entity is anyway."

Unexpectedly astonished at the marvel of a weapon, a question came to Lukos' mind, "How does the heat from the round not damage the receiver and barrel?"

"By using another tungsten based alloy that has a higher resistance to heat than that of the bullet itself," Selana added swiftly, joining the conversation. "A nitrogen based coolant system flows throughout the weapon's body to keep continuous gunfire from creating a buildup of heat. And of course, there are several ventilation shafts, which help cool the firearm and truly give it a terrifying appearance when its fired." Tharsos and Lukos stared at the Awoken woman. The Hunter particularly was in disbelief.

"How in the hell would you know all of that?" Lukos asked her, beginning to doubt what she said.

"I learned a great deal from my parents. My father is the Osiris High Councilman and my mother is the Executive Officer leading the research division. And, as you surely know, Osiris specializes in technological research, development, and commerce. When it comes to developing defensive equipment, Osiris works in close partnership with the Future War Cult, who specialize in combat strategy and military equipment, whether it be infantry armaments and armor or high grade WMDs. But that weapon of yours was designed by my parents." The two men processed Selana's words, astonished. "What?" she asked with a light laugh.

"Nothing," Lukos calmly replied turning his head and settling himself in his seat.

Tharsos, amazed with her intelligence remembered something he heard earlier and spoke up, "Commander Sideros mentioned that you haven't been in the field yet. You appear to be older than 17, so why have you been in the City for this long without being in battle?"

Selana didn't seem to take the question well. Even so, she replied in a collected, but depressed tone, "I graduated five years ago. But my father and mother didn't want me in battle, so they convinced the Council to have me go undergo five additional years of specialized study and training under the Seven Seraphs organization, which researches the Traveler and chronicles humanity's history. They fought desperately to allow me that privilege." Her voice trailed off and her normally cheerful aura had subsided for the first time since Tharsos and Lukos met her.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to upset you," Tharsos apologetically assured her, seeing comfort return to her kind eyes.

"It's fine. I just don't want others seeing me as a spoiled child because of my parents' fears. Personally, I wanted to start duty outside of the City upon my graduation, but my parents wouldn't have it." Selana smiled at Tharsos, accepting his apology.

Lukos leaned back with his hands resting behind his head, and looked back and forth between his two teammates. He found himself lost in thought as he studied Selana, pondering why she was put into this team. Without noticing it, Tharsos turned to him.

"And your sidearm?" he asked Lukos.

Lukos' eyebrow rose as he looked at Tharsos in confusion, "Huh?"

"Tell me about your revolver. I noticed it earlier. It's well crafted," Tharsos complimented.

"Oh, yeah." Lukos leaned up and removed it from its holster. "This is 'Huckleberry'. It's an eight shot double action revolver and fires .454 shredder rounds. It has a built-in laser sight underneath the barrel, too." Lukos chuckled as he looked his revolver over, "It's pretty tough to say the least, and it naturally fires fast. Reloading is made easy with a speedloader." He smirked with confidence, "This gun hasn't disappointed me yet."

"And your sniper rifle?" Tharsos asked consequently.

Lukos' grin disappeared and he looked up at Tharsos, "It works. And that's all there is to know."

Tharsos took quick notice of Lukos' discomfort, and ended the conversation with a single nod. Lukos lowered his angered eyes to his sidearm, scanned it for a moment, and placed it back in its holster.

The passenger bay's speakers then blared out unexpectedly. They had been dead quiet for the duration of the flight to the LZ. _"ETA, 90 seconds. Get ready for drop off. Commander Sideros will be waiting for you on touchdown."_ The three Guardians stood, checked their weapons and prepared for the passenger bay hatch to open. Tharsos stood in the middle, at the ready, with "Hail of Fire" gripped firmly in his armored hands. Lukos stood to his right with his old rundown sniper rifle propped up on his shoulder, tapping his foot on the metal plated floor. Selana was at Tharsos' left, with her "Death Sentence" auto rifle's stock set loosely against her shoulder. The hatch unlocked with a dull click as they descended. The bay's air pressure blended with the external atmosphere and the drop ship's screaming engines. When the hatch lowered to the ground, the passenger bay was invaded with the bright light of the sun, and Fireteam Shachal stepped out onto the dull, hard earth below for the commencement of their first mission.

Outside, Commander Sideros, as rigid as a statue, was waiting in a small natural clearing with a familiar face standing next to him. The old Hunter they had met earlier, Kaeneth Atos, stood with an already familiar grin on his face. He had a massive sniper rifle in hand, painted with a very dark, storm cloud gray. The grip, various pieces of hardware, the scope's edges, and parts of the barrel had a very pale blue color to them. It was, without a doubt, a very high powered sniper rifle. He hefted it with ease from his side, barrel pointed up, and chuckled in his strong Scottish accent, "Told ya' I would see ya' later."

Sideros stepped forward and the three Guardians waited for his following harsh words. He simply looked them over without saying anything, taking note of their attention to preparing for the mission. After pacing about before them, he stopped and faced them directly, a standard issue pulse rifle in his metal gauntlet, stiffly set at his side. He finally spoke in his usual gruff and coarse metallic voice, "You have met Atos." Kaeneth, threw a short, lazy salute of acknowledgment to the party of Guardians, still wearing a friendly smile. Sideros resumed swiftly, "We will directly head to the last known location of the Fallen. I will emphasize. Follow my orders without fail. Your service records will severely depend on your ability to do so." The Guardians simply nodded at his command and waited for the Exo officer to send them on their way. "Shachal, welcome to Old Denver."


	6. Chapter 6: Old Denver

Chapter 6: ...Old Denver

Old Denver laid dead for centuries. Its current state bore forgotten history buried in ashes and dust. It was absolutely still as we paced through its streets, cluttered with the remaining artifacts of its past. I was so uncomfortable with the stagnancy of the wastes of Old Denver, I often found myself holding my breath, matching the atmosphere of the ancient city. The smallest sounds carried on to the point of making me extremely uneasy. The silence was contagious and the only things that broke it were our crisp footsteps and the occasional lonely breeze, weakly dragging itself through the city. Sideros and I were at point, followed by Selana closely behind. Lukos and Kaeneth took to the rear of the formation, with their rifles at the ready. For the past two hours, we had been traversing the maze of ruined roads and aged structures. Apparently the objective was rather deep in the heart of Old Denver. After a long trek, Sideros stopped without warning, signaling for us to halt.

He carefully peered around the shattered corner to our right. Sideros then broke the verbal silence that had plagued the team since our departure from the LZ, "Objective is in sight, Shachal. From here we will split up into two teams." Sideros turned sharply toward the four of us, "Atos. Chorvo. You will be on watch outside. Both of you will take individual positions with crossed lines of sight directed toward the street in front of the objective. Atos, you take the southern building two blocks down. It should provide ample cover and darkness. Chorvo, take the northern end of the street, three blocks down. You will keep watch on the street as well as the objective. You will have a better vantage point of the eastern face of the building ahead." Sideros then looked at me afterward, "Katenos. Kaiah. You will accompany me to the objective itself. We will investigate the last known location of the Fallen. Perhaps we can uncover why their behavior has been so strange. The reconnaissance team suggested that there was no further enemy activity in the area, but I will not take any chances with their intelligence. Safeties off. Stay sharp and prepared." He paused and we acknowledged our C.O., save Lukos who stood silently behind the rest of us. Sideros then ordered, "Hunters, depart. Once you are in position, inform me immediately. We will then approach the objective."

Lukos swiftly took his leave to the northern end of the street without a word said. I watched as he quietly and efficiently made his way to his distant perch, completely comfortable with his surroundings. He was a talented warrior, no doubt. Even being so cocky, it was obvious he could back it up, being at home on the battlefield.

Then, Kaeneth, as light in personality as ever, laughed, "Still as harsh as ever, aren't ya' Kauson? That coldness isn't going ta' get ya' anywhere with this team, ya' know." He looked at Sideros, who merely returned a glance.

"Get to your position, Atos," Sideros said plainly. The old Hunter shook his head calmly with a quiet scoff and turned to the south.

"Alright, Kauson. Ya're the boss," Kaeneth said and began to run to the southern end of the street with his massive rifle in hand, just as comfortable with reaching his objective as Lukos. Sideros' gaze, if predictable at all, seemed to be lost in space. It was the first time I had seen him appear to be distant. But as soon as the thought came to mind, Sideros' attention returned to Selana and me. No words were spoken though. He simply glanced at us before turning to the large, crushed building that housed our objective, north one block of our position. A few more short moments of silence followed before Lukos and Kaeneth contacted Sideros, confirming that they were in position.

"Katenos. Kaiah. Move out," Sideros' tone was unusual. Quiet, and somber almost. He wasn't acting the same. I couldn't help but take notice of his change in demeanor. Surprisingly, it was too obvious. As much as it bothered me, now wasn't the time to get distracted.

At a strong pace, Sideros, Selana, and I ran north, approaching the objective's entrance. We made our way up the stairway with me at point. Sideros and I covered the door as Selana opened it for us to enter. With the quiet as still as ever, we stepped into the lobby of the old governmental structure. Unlike the rest of the structures we had passed and gone through earlier, this building had clearly been inhabited. The deposits of dust weren't as thick and the ground had been cleared of large piles of rubble. Little inspection was needed when we soon realized the same thing. We readied our weapons instantly in unison. The Fallen footprints scattered on the floor weren't several days to a week old. They were relatively fresh and we were right in the middle of the Fallen's lair. Sideros stepped deeper into the room and motioned for Selana and me to move forward and check the corners of the stairway to our left. I took point and slowly made my way up the stairs with Sideros following closely behind. Selana covered our backs as the three of us made our way up two flights.

Despite seeing signs of recent activity, the remains of the structure still hadn't revealed any threats. It was eerily tranquil. Even having explored this deep into the building, and not having found anything, I was anticipating an ambush at any given moment. This sensation was extremely uncomfortable, and I felt my heart race. But nothing attacked us. The air was still as usual. We found ourselves in a hallway, long and dark. One end's wall gaped open, bricks cracked and concrete shattered. The electrical lines were ripped out of the walls and ceiling, swaying as random gusts of wind swept throughout the hall. The growing winds howled lowly outside.

I assumed that we were sharing the same anxiety since our formation hadn't broken stride in the least since entering the facility. As we ventured down the hallway with the broken wall, we turned the corner. I noticed that storm clouds were swiftly coming in over Old Denver like a menacing gray tidal wave. Thunder growled deeply in the distance. We slowly paced down the hall, and found ourselves at a relatively large conference room with no door or surrounding walls. In the center of the room was a collection of equipment. But it was apparent that this technology wasn't human in origin, ancient or present. This was alien. The three of us only made a few steps in and stopped. Sideros stood erect, but still held his rifle high and at the ready. "Katenos, guard the entrance. Kaiah, analyze this technology. Can you determine its function?" I turned my back to my teammates and kept watch on the hallway, listening to their footsteps approach the alien tech.

Selana slung her rifle as she scanned the machinery, circling it multiple times, "Sir, this seems to be a type of long range communication device. Fallen technology. From what I can tell it was receiving messages recently," Selana said as she studied the equipment. Then she paused momentarily, as if something aroused her curiosity, "Sir, permission to remove this device?"

Sideros asked, "What is it?"

"It's a memory chip of sorts. It could have records of the transmissions the Fallen have been sending and receiving."

Sideros contemplated, "Granted. It may contain vital data. We can have Osiris decipher it when we return."

Selana ejected a small chip from one of the terminals.

Immediately, a thrumming noise sounded from the device. Selana snapped her head to the sound with shock. Concerned with the commotion, I turned to my teammates.

"What the hell happened?" Sideros angrily asked Selana.

Selana's expression screamed with worry, but she finally responded with panic in her voice, "The Fallen must have set up a failsafe, in the event their information became a liability. The device is relaying a warning signal." She glanced at Sideros in frustration and turned to me with eyes full of anxiety and fear. I stiffened, trying to imagine what kind of opposition could come, flaring my fingers around my weapon. Sideros cursed under his breath.

Just then, Lukos interjected impatiently on the comm, _"Hey, you guys might want to get out of there. You have a lot of Fallen headed your way from the west-to-east streets."_

"Damn it!" Sideros muttered in frustration. "Shachal, move! Now!" We didn't hesitate. The three of us began to run back to the first floor lobby. As we passed the torn wall in the hallway, I could hear the growing intensity of approaching Fallen battle cries. We had to get out. Fast.

As we neared the building's main entrance, we quickly realized we were too late. The enemy forces had already begun to close in around our position. Selana and I had skidded to a halt, but Sideros didn't stop. He continued to run to the exit and shouted at us, "Get moving, you two!" Sideros smashed into the heavy door with his right shoulder, his weapon tucked into his shoulder tightly. The door swung open with extreme force, turning into a battered steel bowl. The top and middle hinges creaked and snapped from the stress. The piece of metal fell to the ground to Sideros' right with a loud crash. And following the breach, Sideros swung his rifle out ahead of him smoothly, firing upon the threats closing in around us with incredible precision. The Fallen grunts cried in surprise and returned fire upon the Exo, but many fell almost as soon as they attacked.

I began to charge out of the doors myself, crushing the steel of the left door with my left shoulder. The door began to slide down the stairway and I launched myself from the top step with a powerful lunge, propelling myself forward. Upon landing, I immediately sprinted to my right, firing "Hail of Fire" in bursts as I ran. I soon noticed the shockingly swift Selana running beside me, but she accelerated far faster than I could. Both of us fired at our enemies, suppressing their assault. We ducked as their alien gunfire screamed past our heads. I kept myself as close to Selana's left flank as possible to deflect their shots. I could feel some strike my shields, but I didn't let it slow me down.

We began to reach the end of the clearing with substantial amounts of debris ahead of us. Both Selana and I vaulted the rubble and used it for cover. Sideros was just ahead of us in another collection of rubble and ruins. He whipped around the corner he had his back pressed up against, firing controlled bursts at the approaching Fallen soldiers. I heard extremely loud cracks tear through the air. Lukos and Kaeneth were assassinating the Fallen forces from their perches with perfect accuracy. The alien cackles and screeching howls reverberated throughout the ghost city. The firefight was deafening and chaotic. I repositioned myself and removed a standard issue fragmentation grenade from my belt. I primed it and waited two counts. I threw the grenade as hard as I could, directed at a group of nearby Fallen Dregs. It hit one of the unsightly creatures in the face and fell in front of the group, exploding into a storm of shrapnel, ripping their light armor and flesh to shreds. Selana and I used that opportunity and bolted for Sideros' location, a more desirable defensive position. I snapped around the corner and propped my LMG atop the pile of rubble I set myself behind. I fired controlled bursts into the cannon fodder rushing to our position. Selana's rifle could manage to fire full auto without sacrificing accuracy. Sideros picked off the alien contingent, one by one. Fortunately we had two extremely skilled snipers effectively removing the Fallen soldiers' heads from their shoulders. They couldn't determine where the snipers' gunfire was coming from since they were timing the shots with the thunderstorm now overhead. Thankfully our enemies weren't the smartest of opponents. Even though we had only been in this skirmish for a couple of minutes, every second seemed to drag on. But the intervals between gunshots eventually subsided when the remaining Fallen began to take cover.

Sideros yelled at Selana and me, "We need to make an offensive now! Push them back!" He tossed stun grenades to Selana. "Lay down suppressive fire, Kaiah! Katenos, you're with me!" Selana didn't wait. She threw one stun grenade to the closest group of Fallen grunts hiding behind some old vehicles northeast of us. As soon as the flash disoriented them, Sideros and I raced to their position. As soon as we reached the vehicles, both of us vaulted over them. I took the left and Sideros the right side. As soon as my feet made contact with the asphalt, I brought my LMG's stock down on a Dreg's skull, crushing it instantly. He went limp and the sound of their comrade dying sent the rest of the group into disarray. Their frantic actions were vain, as Sideros removed a wakizashi sheathed on his back and began to swiftly and effectively slash at the aliens' vitals, sending them to the ground choking in their rapidly growing pools of blood. I shoved the last surviving Dreg against the vehicle without mercy and sent my gauntlet into his face, caving it in. I tore my fist from his shattered skull without remorse and ducked behind the closest suitable defensive site.

Sideros shouted, "Kaiah, again!" Another stun grenade was lobbed to the north and went off. The Fallen soldiers stood in panic. Immediately after, three loud shots rang out, dropping them before we could reach them.

_"Got 'em!"_ Lukos cheered with a playful snicker.

Sideros and I held our position and Sideros then ordered, "Kaiah, move up!" We laid down covering fire, allowing Selana to approach our location unharmed. A few scattered groups of Fallen remained entrenched ahead of us, but some more reinforcements poured in to replace what we eliminated. Sideros then contacted Lukos and Kaeneth. "Atos! Chorvo! Tell me what you see left from the enemy forces!" Gunfire hailed above us as we waited for a response.

_"Can't tell much from this point, Kauson,"_ Kaeneth's communication was filled with the thunderous cracks of gunfire from his sniper rifle. _"Sorry."_

Lukos then replied, _"I only see about a couple dozen targets left coming from the eastern street a block ahead of you guys. They're only-"_ Lukos was cut off but then returned shortly. _"Sideros, you have a Cabal coming too."_

Sideros cocked his head to the side slightly. "Confirmed. We can handle that."

Lukos came in again lowly, _"They brought a Praetorian."_

If Exos had skin, I would say Sideros' would have gone pale. His grip on his rifle went slack and he grew quiet. His attention wandered to our weapons. He scanned them, dissatisfied immensely. He had no other word but one. "Retreat," he said with a tone I never would have expected from him. "Atos. Chorvo. Meet us at the rendezvous point immediately."

_"Affirmative,"_ Lukos and Kaeneth responded.

Sideros looked at Selana and me and nodded before he rose and began to sprint to the south. We both followed him like we were his shadow. A few straggling gunshots zipped toward us but to no avail. Selana seemed to be somewhat lost in the circumstances. I couldn't blame Sideros. I had never seen a Praetorian, let alone fight one, but I heard stories about them. The solution. Bring heavy firepower. If you don't have it, run. This was only supposed to be a recon mission. Our equipment was suitable for a scouting team, but we couldn't tackle a force like this with the resources we had. Not one of us slowed our pace as we raced to the south away from the battlefield.

Suddenly, a heavily armored Fallen Captain leapt atop one of the vehicles in front of us. He puffed his chest out and roared with fury, gripping his two swords firmly and raised them in anger. Sideros fired into the Captain's chest but the Captain snarled in disgust. In his own alien dialect, he barked to something to his right and motioned with one of his free arms. Afterward, slow and heavy quakes shook our bones. An insanely massive Cabal treaded out from around the corner, far larger than a Centurion or Legionnaire, fit with thicker armor, and equipped with an extremely massive cannon and a huge spear nearly as long as two Cabals are high. The Praetorian was nearly as large as a Devil Walker. Several Fallen Vandals, Marauders, and Raiders emerged from the corner, accompanied by a handful of Dregs, and chaotically ran into the clearing. The Captain commanded with a growl and the Cabal and Fallen subordinates charged at us.

We had but one choice, and it was to fight. We turned and ran, putting distance between us and the Cabal Praetorian, who stayed relatively stationary. Normally the best course of action to take on the Praetorian would be to stay at mid-range and pick it off with fast guerilla tactics, but the accompanying Fallen soldiers made it difficult to stay close. But staying too far away for too long would lead us to our demise as well. The Praetorian could easily disintegrate any cover we may have come across while the Fallen kept us pinned down. The Captain wasn't a fool, selecting a formation like this for his company.

"We have to take out the Fallen first!" I shouted.

Sideros then yelled, "Concentrate your fire on the Fallen! Take them out now! Evasive maneuvers, Shachal! Don't let that Cabal get you in his sights!"

Sideros began to fire bursts into the Fallen Vandals' center mass, who were staying at the back near the Praetorian. The Raiders wielded shotgun type weapons and were at the front lines. Marauders had powerful mid-range assault rifles, and were keeping themselves behind the Raiders. The Dregs attacked Selana and me with no strategically sound tactics. They fell quickly as we fired into their weakly armored bodies. We ran as fast as we could without sacrificing our stability while firing. Widespread shotgun energy narrowly missed me as I fired the heavy hitting rounds of "Hail of Fire" into the Raiders crowding the front lines. Most dropped instantly, but a few stubborn enough to engage in a hand-to-hand fight rushed at me with a vengeance.

One rather large one attempted to tackle me at the waist. I slung my rifle and under hooked his upper arms with my own, and hoisted him up. After I created some distance between his midsection and my legs, I threw my left knee up as hard as I could, striking him in his torso. The Raider reeled back in pain, clutching his ribs. I didn't give him any time to breathe. I jabbed twice and followed with a powerful overhand right cross. As the Fallen soldier began to turn and hunch over, I immediately grabbed his head and snapped it. The other two lunged after me in rage and swung their blades at me desperately. I kept my distance, trying my best to avoid the electrical daggers. Seeing an opening, I latched onto the outside of one's wrist with my left hand. I slammed my right hand down on his forearm. The other charged at me attempting to stab me in the side. I kicked him in the sternum, sending him to the ground. I returned my attention to the Fallen I had a hold of and overpowered the Raider, redirecting the blade and driving it into his throat. I swung his right arm over my left shoulder and coiled my right arm around his right leg, picking him up on my shoulders. I threw the dead Fallen at the last Raider, who had just picked himself up. The dead body crashed into the surviving Fallen and he fell yet again. I came around and slammed my boot into the Fallen's head. I heard the skull shatter into pieces as he went limp underneath my foot.

"Tharsos! Move!" Selana yelled at me in panic. Before I could react, a heavy blunt force struck me in the stomach, launching me tens of feet back into a vehicle. The blow was extremely powerful and my body had made a huge dent in the car. I don't know how that blow didn't kill me, but I was still disoriented. I heard faint, muffled voices and sounds of battle. But what I could hear very clearly was my labored breathing. I could feel my blood pulsating underneath my skin and my heart pounding. I struggled to get up from the ground and to my surprise I saw Lukos, firing at the enemy with his revolver. He was speaking to me, but I couldn't hear him. I felt like I was about to lose consciousness. My vision was blurring and I was growing tired.

Suppressed memories began to flood my mind. Experiences that I would never forget returned to me in detailed flashes. I collapsed back into the battered vehicle and found myself wandering in memories past.

* * *

Dad, crouching in front of me suited up in his battle armor, curled his forefinger and placed it under my chin, lifting my head up.

"You're strong, son. And you're brave. There isn't anyone else I would trust more with this. Can you handle it?" He looked at me with compassion filling his eyes.

"I can. I promise." I looked at him sadly. "Will you be home soon, Dad? You won't be gone long like the last time, will you?" I asked. I already missed him and he hadn't even left yet. I tried to be strong in front of Dad but it was always hard when I had to say goodbye, even though I knew he would come home.

He gave me a small smile of comfort, "I promise." He placed his hand behind my head and kissed my forehead gently, embracing me tightly in his strong arms. "I love you, son." A single tear rolled down his cheek before he rose and put on his helmet. My father turned away and departed for his mission.

"Love you too." Holding the sadness back in front of him was difficult, but now he couldn't see me. Tears streamed down my face. "Bye, Dad."

* * *

"Old Denver... I wonder what it was like before the Collapse." Thureos examined our surroundings as they captivated him.

I turned to the young Titan walking beside me, "I don't know, Thureos. I don't know if anyone knows." Upon our arrival, we and several other Guardians had broken up into pairs to strictly scout the area within a three mile radius for enemy activity. We were to report any information we found to the officer based at the LZ and regroup there for a better outfitted combat unit to be mobilized for the elimination of Fallen and potential Cabal threats. We paced ourselves slowly, taking as much cover as we could. We didn't want to be found by any enemy scouts. "Stay focused, Thureos."

"Right. Sorry about that," he responded. He brought his attention back to the mission.

"Don't worry about it. If you do, it'll just distract you. We have to be careful so don't dwell on it." I turned to him for confirmation and was met with a firm nod.

"Got it," He realized that his anxious, adventurous side was getting the better of him and hardened himself.

"Alright, let's get ourselves an advantage," I stopped at a tattered residential building to our left. I looked up the height of the complex and stepped up onto the empty window sill of the first floor, "We should be able to find a good vantage point." My brother followed my movements almost exactly, checking every corner like it was a second nature to him.

We made our way up over a dozen levels, finding ourselves in an apartment room that overlooked a small park and smaller buildings ahead. I magnified the visuals from my visor, scanning the smaller district ahead.

"See anything worthy of note?" Thureos asked inquisitively, standing squarely to my right.

"No. Nothing yet." I continued to search for something of use. My brother looked out the same window, scanning the area as well with his visor's magnification.

"Here we go." Thureos said with a hint of excitement. "Look at the three story, concrete and brick insurance building at the western end of that block. Behind the rubble on the roof."

I set my eyes on the building he mentioned. Unfortunately for us, it was cloudy outside and thick fog coated the city, but I managed to make the figures out. There appeared to be a couple of Fallen Dregs communicating with a Vandal on the roof. "Good job, brother," I said proudly. "Now we have a lead. We will investigate that area until we can determine their strength. Afterwards, we will make our report and rendezvous with the other scouting parties. Stay sharp, Thureos. We can't afford to get caught out there. Understood?"

My brother nodded at me, "I understand, Tharsos." He shifted his feet toward the apartment room's exit, "Take point. I got your back."

We made our way back down the apartment complex and when we reached the first floor, we stepped back outside, finding ourselves in thicker fog. Followed by my brother, I moved north, sticking closely to the wall to our left. By the time we had closed in on our destination, I stopped Thureos. "Okay, you're going to take point from here on. You're capable so I can trust you, and you need the experience." I motioned my rifle forward. He didn't respond, but stepped ahead of me. He remained motionless for a short moment and exhaled.

I smiled behind my helmet with confidence. I was proud of my little brother. He was maturing and I was content with my brother becoming a man. I would always cherish the times I looked after him as a child, but I finally found myself content with him growing up. "I got your back, little brother."

Thureos, seeming relieved from his anxiety, stepped forward into the thick fog and I followed him, rifle pressed firmly against my shoulder and at the ready. Thureos was doing well guiding us through the fog, finding cover and patiently picking the moments to move forward. He led us to a circular collection of crumbled wall near the corner of a building. He listened and scanned the fog with thermal imagery from his visor. Just as he was about to move up, a faint cluster of sounds was approaching our position from the western end of the intersection ahead of us. I grabbed Thureos' shoulder immediately and pulled him down. We stayed low and waited quietly, observing the intersection in front of us attentively.

From the end of the street outside our line of sight, a pack of Fallen Dregs emerged, heading east on the same street. They were oblivious to our presence thankfully and moved on. We watched as they passed. I was now partly appreciative of the fog which masked our position.

I then heard a chattering noise behind us, bringing forth a sense of dread. I pivoted on my heel swiftly, surprised to find a single Dreg scurrying down the wall, looking right at me. It then shrieked loudly, alerting the party of Fallen ahead of us. The Dreg behind us didn't have time to react as I slammed the butt of my LMG into its jaw. I dropped behind the mound of rubble again as the group of Fallen opened fire on our position. The Dregs' clattering was going to be a problem if we didn't get it dealt with soon. I rotated, placing my left knee against the crumbled concrete and unleashed punishment upon the Dregs in controlled bursts. Thureos did the same, loosing buckshot into the weakly protected chests of the Fallen soldiers. In a matter of a few seconds, we had eradicated the pack of Dregs.

"Thureos! We have to get out of here!" I exclaimed. Before we could make our escape, we found ourselves surrounded by more Fallen dropping from the windows of structures adjacent to us, surrounding our position and blocking our escape. The first thing I took advantage of was close quarters. I hosed "Hail of Fire" upon the crowd of Raiders and Dregs. Thureos, wielding "Make My Day", fired pin point shotgun blasts into our opponents without mercy. A few brave Raiders assaulted us as we brought down their comrades. I parried one's violently swung daggers and threw a quick kick to the alien's ribs underneath his upper arm. I subsequently fired a small burst into his face, shredding his flesh and bone with ease. Thureos charged after one Fallen, thrusting his shoulder into the Raider's chest and pushed him toward another, using the first as a meat shield. When he reached the second, he struck his shield with an elbow and shoved him at the second Fallen. He swung his shotgun forward in haste and pulled the trigger, leaving gaping wounds in the torsos of both. Despite being ambushed, we managed decently in the surprise firefight. We picked the stragglers off as they attempted to flee from the battle. Standing in the middle of the street, we both exhaled deeply, finally seeing the fight at its end.

"That was a close one," Thureos said with a drawn out sigh, removing his helmet and scratching his head. He looked at me and chuckled. "Not bad for our first time as a team though."

"Let's not celebrate too soon," I said sternly. "For now, let's just get to the rendezvous as soon as possible." I began to turn to the south and my brother stopped me.

"Hey, Tharsos," he started. "Thanks for watching my back." He grinned modestly and began to walk toward me.

As he approached, I saw a bright flash of light arc toward us, but only I could see it. I screamed in vain as I desperately reached out to my brother. A loud hissing crack rang in my ears, and red splashed on my visor. Thureos fell forward, limp and heavy. I caught him before he could hit the ground. As a series of more singular shots singed the air, I carried him to the side of the street in a panic, out of the line of fire. I ripped my helmet off and threw it aside. Thureos' neck was soaked with glossy red blood. It spilled out of a wound that went clean through. As he coughed and choked on his blood, it spurted out of his mouth. Frantic and never more scared than ever, I held his head in my arms as he clutched at his throat, gasping for air. I didn't know what to do. There was no way I could stop the profuse bleeding. Help was miles away. I clasped his hand tightly.

"Thureos! Stay with me!" Thureos looked deeply into my eyes, terrified. His skin quickly lost its color. He tried to say something but his voice was drowned out. I was helpless. I couldn't do anything for him.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, little brother!" I sobbed and tears streamed down my cheeks, falling on Thureos' face. "I'm sorry...!" Thureos' eyes began to go dark, and his choking slowed. My cries intensified as I felt what little life he had left slip away. Futile and desperate, I screamed his name but there was no response. I dropped my head onto his cold forehead. My little brother was gone. And I couldn't do anything. My screams were hoarse and full of despair as I shuddered and clenched my brother's lifeless body in my arms. Then, I was haunted with the memory of old words. I couldn't stop hearing them remind me of my broken oath. _I can. I promise._


	7. Chapter 7: Verdict

Chapter 7: Verdict

I abandoned all thought. Any sense of control or rationality were nonexistent. I was blinded by rage as I hunted down my prey. My brother's blood still flowed down my armor. It glistened in the light of gunfire as the terrified Vandal vainly attempted to slow my advance by firing wild shots at me as I closed in on it. Its pathetic life was shortening as I chased it through the darkness of the city's suffocating alleys. My eyes were clear as I locked my hatred upon the Fallen who caused my little brother to suffer in my arms. My pace either quickened or the Fallen began to give up. It didn't matter. The Vandal, sprinting for its life, tripped and frantically attempted to escape from me, but it would not find sanctuary while I hunted it. The Vandal crawled in panic, still trying to desperately flee from the vengeance that would inevitably devour it. I slowed from a sprint to a collected walk when I reached the alien. I slammed my foot down on its left shoulder, pinning it to the ground. I grabbed the Vandal by its neck, and lifted it up, throwing it to the ground. It fell on its back and I crept in on my prey, removing my helmet. The scum would see the face of its killer as I tortured it. The Fallen shrieked in fear as I slowly but savagely shattered all of its limbs time after time and tore its mask from its face, using it to slash the creature over and over. The shadows swallowed the screams of terror as I beat the helpless Vandal to a pulp. The strikes continued even after the Vandal's cries fell silent and its body no longer responded to them. A blue aura engulfed my body and its radiance intensified as every blow fell upon the lifeless body of my enemy.

I could not remember how long I had beat the Vandal, but I found myself standing above an unrecognizable pile of flesh and steel. I could barely remember what had happened nor could I recall how much time had passed since my brother's death. Flashes of my recent violence crept forth. I could feel warm blood seep down my face. My own blood. An open blistered burn trailing from my cheekbone to my jaw line under my ear made me relive my brother's death over and over again. A memento of my failure. I returned to Thureos' corpse. Slowly. Silently. Sorrow and blame haunted me. I was beyond freedom from my words to my father over eleven years ago. They would forever torture me. I promised him that I would protect Thureos. That he would not be harmed for as long as I would live. An oath that I broke to the fullest. I shouldn't have had to watch my little brother die. It would have only been right for me to go first. I walked away from the Fallen body with an unfilled, gaping hole of overwhelming grief and hatred in my heart, bent on driving me deeper into despair and anguish. This misery was to be my irredeemable company...

* * *

I let out a long and deep exhale, as if I was emerging from water on the verge of drowning. I came to, but to my surprise found myself standing in the middle of the street. I was unaware of my circumstances and I hastily scanned my surroundings. A tender rain was falling, pattering softly on my battered armor. Its gentle, somber voice sang throughout all of Old Denver. As I became more aware, I saw my comrades staring at me with expressions of disbelief and shock. I didn't care to ask, but I rather took note of their behavior. Lukos hadn't stopped staring at me since I discovered his presence. Selana stood motionless and fearful. Sideros and Kaeneth stood next to each other in silence, their eyes fixated on me with a measure of caution all too apparent as they gripped their weapons as if prepared to fire. Bodies of Fallen hostiles littered the ground around my teammates. The Captain laid before Sideros, his wakizashi deeply thrust into the Fallen's chest. As I collected myself, I looked down and I noticed that beneath my feet was the unmoving corpse of the Cabal Praetorian. Confused, I analyzed it closely. It appeared to be headless. Specifically, its head was no more than mush now. Torn and wrenched steel lied where the head would be. I turned back to my allies to confirm what I gazed upon, only to see that their expressions hadn't changed any. I grew light headed, and an intense pain shot through my torso before I collapsed, breathing heavily when I rolled to the ground beside the Praetorian. The adrenaline must have overpowered the pain for the course of the firefight. Now I could feel each of my injuries very well.

"Tharsos!" Selana shouted and ran to my side, Lukos following her closely. I started to lift my head and struggled to pick myself up from the ground.

"Easy, big guy." Lukos, kneeling next to me, laid a firm hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down. Selana set her hands on my torso. They began to glow with a comforting white light, and shortly thereafter, I could feel the throbbing pain slowly becoming more tolerable. The powers of a Warlock. Amazing. I couldn't help but realize that her eyes looked heavy and pained as she healed me. I didn't know that using those abilities had such side effects. But then again I hadn't seen many Warlocks heal other Guardians, nor had I been healed by one myself.

I began to speak in response to the repercussions of her treatments, but Selana interjected with a surprising authority, "Be quiet, Tharsos. Don't speak." Despite her tone, I could sense concern in her voice. As much as I didn't want to, I obeyed and relaxed myself.

Lukos stood and chuckled with exhaustion, "You're one lucky bastard, Tharsos." I closed my eyes and began to think about how true his words were as he walked away from Selana and me. Sideros and Kaeneth stepped forward, both looking down on me.

"We cannot stay here any longer," Sideros stated blandly. "We have to get to the rendezvous point as soon as possible. Katenos, are you capable of walking in your condition?"

"Yes, sir," I said as I leaned forward. Selana sat back as I picked myself up. She shot up to her feet quickly and assisted me as I got my legs beneath me. Even as I stood, she held me at the shoulders, unsure if I could manage. I grabbed her hands with mine gently. I could feel them stiff and shaking. "I'm fine for now. Thank you, Selana." I patiently waited and she finally nodded in agreement, her hands relaxing before I released them.

"Tharsos." I turned to see Lukos holding my weapons before me. "Here." I grabbed my LMG and shotgun weakly and gave him a short nod. He returned the gesture in a manner of respect I didn't expect from the Hunter.

"Move out, Shachal." Sideros departed and made his way to the rendezvous point to the south. The rest of us, knowing full well that we had to extract immediately, began to follow.

"Selana, why don't ya' take a rest and follow Kauson," Kaeneth started with his crooked grin. "Lukos, help Tharsos here. I'll cover ya' two." Selana's gait clearly showed that she was exhausted from the firefight and also from healing me. I moved forward with short, irregular steps, still aching from my wounds. Lukos walked next to me and Kaeneth followed behind, scanning the area for any other potential enemy targets.

"What happened?" I asked Lukos, still bewildered with the fight's conclusion.

He glanced at me, "You don't remember?"

"No," I said, still waiting for an explanation.

"You got knocked out. Got hit hard with that Cabal's spear. I hope you remember that much. Kaeneth and I showed up and assisted with the Fallen. We took out most of them when you got up and charged after the Praetorian. You were hell bent on killing that son of a bitch. I didn't see you move like that at all earlier. He couldn't touch you. Anyway, you climbed that Rhino and started hitting him in the face with energy enhanced blows. Looked different than a Titan's Fist. The Praetorian didn't last long before he fell, but you kept striking him even after he was dead."

I looked at him blankly, finding the story hard to believe. But based on the reactions I witnessed from the rest of the team, it was probably true. I was shocked at the thought of eliminating a Praetorian with nothing but my hands. Before I accepted the fact, I came to another mystery that confounded me and turned to Lukos, "How did I survive the blow? Even with shields and shock absorbent armor, it should have killed me."

Lukos looked forward and tossed a single nod at Selana. "It was her. She saw the blow coming before anyone else and put up a force field between you and the spear just before it made contact. It didn't reach full power, but I guess it was enough to soak up enough of the shock to keep you from getting killed."

I looked away from Lukos and gazed at the woman walking before me with gratitude and amazement. I would forever be in her debt.

"Who's Thureos?" Lukos then asked. Surprised, I turned to my teammate. "You were yelling that when you got up and ran after the Praetorian." Lukos eyed me inquisitively, waiting for my response.

I relieved my attention from him and evaded his question, "No one..."

* * *

"I understand that Guardian Tharsos Katenos has made a full recovery?" The Chief Councilman made eye contact with Commander Sideros as he queried.

"Yes," Sideros answered shortly. It had been over a week since the first mission. Many unexpected matters arose then and Sideros was contemplating their next course of action. "And the intelligence recovered from the Fallen relay?" Sideros looked at the Osiris High Councilman with curiosity.

"Nearly deciphered," Selana's father responded with a drawn out sigh. "We should have it completely translated later today."

"That brings us to our next subject." The Chief Councilman stared at Sideros sternly and spoke again, "Strictly the High Council and FOTC Command will analyze the information before we inform you about the data, Commander."

Sideros responded in opposition, "I have the right to be present for that conference. What do you think you are doing, refusing that from me?" Sideros had hoped that the High Councilmen wouldn't anger him today, but it was wishful thinking as usual.

"Calm down, Commander!" The FWC Councilman interjected. "We did not say that we wouldn't inform you. We simply wish to discuss the chip's information privately before including anyone affiliated with Fireteam Shachal. Have some damn patience. We will brief you on the data found on the memory chip after we meet with the FOTC Com-"

Sideros glared at the Councilman and cut him off, "That does not change anything concerning my rights as a Vanguard. Your decisions are not absolute."

The five politicians seated before him quieted and the Chief Councilman spoke with anger and frustration, "Fine, Commander. If it is that important to you, we will include you in the conference with Command."

Sideros quickly responded, "Fireteam Shachal will be briefed as well. Were it not for Selana Kaiah's presence, the data chip would not have been discovered."

The Council members murmured amongst each other as Sideros stood as defiantly as ever, staring at the Chief Councilman with confidence, who shook his head in defeat. "Fireteam Shachal will be briefed as well," he exhaled quietly. "We will notify you later this afternoon, Sideros."

Sideros simply spun on his heel and began to leave the Hall. He was stopped by the words of the Chief Councilman, "You need not remind me that the Council's power isn't supreme. Even though Shachal falls under the FOTC's commission, the Council stands on equal footing and has more a say in the fireteam's activities than you do. So do not insist on making me remind you who's in charge here, Sideros. I have told you many times to not overstep your authority. I will tell you one more time. Though you have been delegated its commanding officer, do not forget that Fireteam Shachal is not your team. You merely serve as a tool we act through. Do I make myself clear, Kauson?" Sideros didn't respond. "Face the Council when they speak to you!" the Chief Councilman ordered with a shout.

Sideros turned slowly with the most menacing glare and stated harshly, "Do not overstep your bounds, and I will have no need to correct your mistakes. Must I remind you that you are a tool the people of humanity act through? You did not form the regulations that give you power. And you do not have the authority to use power that you do not possess." He paused and turned to face the five Council members squarely. "As for _my_ team, it was born with three soldiers. As of now, only two remain. None of which stand before me. Until one of you cowards have the courage to step onto the battlefield as a member of Shachal, it will never be yours." His eyes darted to and fro amongst the Councilmen, "Do not insist on making me remind you to never refer to me by my first name." As Sideros left the chasm-like room, the Chief Councilman maliciously glowered at the Exo Commander.

The guards at the entrance of the facility shut the massive doors behind Sideros. He was furious with the Council's idiocy, but what concerned him the most was why the High Councilmen were acting so strange lately. Sideros paced off into the streets of the sleeping City he swore to protect with his life. As his concerns with the leadership continued to occupy his thoughts, he began to reminisce about the only person he ever considered his leader and the vow he made.

* * *

I made my way to the FOTC HQ early in the afternoon for a conference with Command. Fortunately, I made a swift recovery over the course of the past week. With the help of Warlock first aid and plenty of bed rest I was almost fully recuperated. I was still trying to make sense of the last mission. It was far from what I had expected in many respects. I didn't imagine we would get in such an intense battle. I didn't anticipate coming so close to death. I didn't expect to kill a Praetorian with my hands. But maybe most of all, I was surprised with Shachal's teamwork. I thought it would have been far worse. Perhaps I was worrying too much about our capability as a unit. I didn't have many doubts about Sideros or Kaeneth, but I was shocked to see Lukos and Selana efficiently working on the field. Especially Selana. For her first time on duty she performed magnificently, considering the circumstances.

As I made my approach to the FOTC Headquarters entrance, I was met by both Lukos and Selana. "We've been waiting for you, big guy," Lukos started. "Do you know what all of this is about?"

"I believe it's a debrief," I said.

Lukos frowned and examined our surroundings, dismissing the confusion plaguing him. Selana smiled at me with a hint of worry, "Hello, Tharsos. How are you feeling?"

Turning to the woman, I replied as carefully as I could, "I'm doing much better, Selana. Thank you for your concern. And how are you? That was a difficult mission for a Guardian new to battle."

"I am fine. Thank you," she said with a light laugh and a bow of her head.

Lukos interrupted, looking toward the entrance, "Let's get going, you two. I would prefer to get this over with sooner rather than later."

We were approached by two Guardians ordered to escort us to the conference room. We followed through the bustling HQ and were led to one of the high security rooms found at the highest levels of the complex. I thought it was strange that a simple debrief was set for such a place. These rooms were normally used to discuss details demanded to remain confidential on the highest prioritizations. I began to wonder what the meeting would entail. After reaching the entrance of the conference room, we were told to wait several feet away. The two Guardians whispered with the guards ahead of us. After a few moments of whispering, the escorts returned to us and led us to the door where we were allowed to enter. The room was dark and inside sat ten people at a table, five at either side of its length. Sideros and Kaeneth stood next to each other at the closest end of the table, turning and taking note of our presence. They bore grim expressions as the three of us approached and stood in line next to them at the end of the table.

We couldn't see the faces of the ten individuals seated at the table. But I could see the figures of over a dozen guards positioned around the dark circular room, armed to the teeth. A booming voice sounded from the left side of the table. "Welcome, Fireteam Shachal. Let's not waste any time. You were recently assigned to a mission where your objectives were to both scout an area suspect of Fallen occupants and also to eliminate any hostile forces encountered. Despite the mission being partially incomplete, you returned with valuable data. Guardian Selana Kaiah took possession of a data chip that held information on both incoming and outgoing Fallen transmissions. The Osiris administration has broken through the chip's firewalls, decoded the messages, and translated the files." The FOTC Command officer paused. and looked across the table.

The Chief Councilman made his presence known as he introduced himself and stated, "Fireteam Shachal, we have a problem here..."

As soon as he heard the man establish the Council's presence in the meeting, Lukos tensed up and interrupted with anger, "I've been waiting for a long time to meet you bastards face to face. You cowards have been avoiding me for years." He began to bolt forward, but Kaeneth swiftly brought his hand down on Lukos' shoulder.

"Calm down, ya' fool." Kaeneth's voice harbored a tone of severity I hadn't heard from him before. The soldiers posted around the room had their rifles raised and pointed at Lukos, red lasers strewn across his chest. Lukos initially resisted Kaeneth, and although a struggle, he relaxed and stepped back. He glared at the dark figures seated at the right side of the table and Kaeneth removed his hand from Lukos' shoulder.

"You need to control your team, Sideros," one of the FOTC officers stated harshly. Sideros refused to respond, but shot a glance of rage at Lukos.

"As I was saying before the Outcast had his fit," the Chief Councilman began, "we are faced with a serious issue. Thanks to the finding of this intel, we were able to become aware of this threat before it occurred, whatever help that may be..." The Councilman trailed off.

One of the officers picked up where the Councilman left off, "I am sure you are all familiar with the Fallen hierarchy. If by some chance you are not, then allow me to explain. The Fallen race themselves are a divided, nomadic people, secluded amongst small 'Houses' as they classify them. We have been successful in fending this force off thus far, thanks to the fact that they have segregated themselves. Or so we thought. One of the latest received transmissions on the data chip you retrieved spoke of a 'Union of the Houses.'"

I tensed up myself. We still didn't even know how many Fallen Houses were out there, but they were a foe we had faced countless times since the Collapse. If all of the Fallen Houses were to unite under one banner, that would serve as a far more dangerous opponent.

The officer started again, "Normally, that wouldn't be of much concern without proof of their progress. This isn't the first union we've heard of. In the past, each known case was investigated, and none had proved successful." He paused and glanced at his peers. "This is not one of those cases. The data chip did not only hold transmissions between two recipients, but of thousands of relayed messages. The deciphering teams discovered that the Fallen are indeed amassing a united force. They have been bringing Houses into the fold of a single House. For the past ten years it seems, this has been happening with us oblivious to the fact. Their secrecy gives cause for immediate concern. We have no clue how strong the Fallen currently are, not to mention they have a strong alliance with the Cabal. I would commend you for your assistance with this matter, but it's needless to say we aren't equipped to face a force that powerful. Unless we do something to give us an edge, we will not survive. We need you to find more intelligence that will aid us in finding that advantage."

Not one of us at the end of the table had the words. The shock of the news was a lot to take in. No matter how strong the Guardians were, the united Fallen forces severely outnumbered us. That didn't even include the Cabal allied with them.

"To give you an idea of the urgency of this crisis," another officer added, "the latest transmissions included messages regarding an assault on the City in a year's time." A thick silence fell upon the room. A pin would have sounded like a bell if dropped. Everyone who had heard that, without a doubt, shuddered. A cold chill ran up my spine as I contemplated our circumstances. What could we do? In a year's time? Was their even a chance?

A lone voice in the room broke the stillness with a timid whisper, "God help us..."


	8. Chapter 8: Recon

Chapter 8: Recon

Five figures sat in a luxurious private meeting room, evenly spaced around an oval-shaped black marble table, large and extravagant. It felt as if the dark edges of the room were trying to swallow the single dim light centered above the marble table. The City slumbered just outside of a massive window at the southern end of the room. "Helios," the Seven Seraphs Councilman began, "I understand Osiris has still been analyzing the data chip Fireteam Shachal recovered. I doubt this meeting would have been organized if your analysts hadn't discovered something of value." The Councilman looked upon the Awoken man intently, clearly concerned with the impending threat inevitably approaching their doorstep. The Seven Seraphs Councilman was a tall man in his late thirties, patient and wise for his years. He was the youngest member of the High Council and was mentored by Meizon Meros; the previous Chief Councilman and one of the most respected and influential High Councilmen in the City's historical records. Like his predecessor, Chanan tended to look after the High Council, keeping their focus on matters most urgent. He was arguably the most responsible of the group even though he wasn't its head or most experienced Councilman. The latest crisis proved his ideals to be as rigid as ever.

Helios Kaiah, Osiris' High Councilman, responded, "Yes, Chanan. My Chief Executive Officer has been personally devoting her attention to the transmissions' coordinates." Helios was an Awoken man in his mid-fifties. He was an overly stressed man, and it was easily seen in his eyes. He had been Osiris' High Councilman for nearly two decades and prior to that he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Osiris administration. Before him, his family had never been involved in the City's political affairs, but he had extensive experience in his career. Helios evidently had jet black hair when he was younger, but it was being overwhelmed by silver. His dark gray eyes were sullen and heavy as always.

"And what has Aster found?" the Dead Orbit Councilwoman, Arana Shomah, asked. The Awoken woman was an old friend of both Helios and Aster Kaiah. She had grown up with Aster as a child and was her protector in the harsh streets of the City's slums. Despite being nearly fifty years of age, Arana looked rather young and beautiful. She had thick, deep black hair herself, but it was naturally highlighted with fine whites. She had icy blue eyes, piercing and determined. She was taller than the average woman and carried herself with pride. Being such a hardy and stubborn youth, she worked extremely hard to achieve her current position. Her confidence and tactical mind drove her to become a respected Guardian leader in her early adulthood.

"There is a particular area in a remote plain that is suspect. Many messages have been sent to and received from this region. This gives us reason to believe that this may be a base of operations, and it's possible that it could hold more information on this 'Union'. I highly doubt that it's the Fallen's primary headquarters, but it is hardly a small encampment. We know the location of their leader is being kept secret, and they are minimizing the communications sent there, wherever it may be. We traced where the fewest transmissions were sent to attempt to locate plausible hideouts their Lords and Admirals may be using. However, there were too many signatures to yield any results worth investigating, not to mention that many of those signatures held various coordinates. Their leaders could be anywhere. The base I mentioned though, has been static in position for a rather long time. With an infiltration operation, I can only hope that we could discover more intelligence that could aid us with this dilemma. Perhaps it holds the specific coordinates that lead to their headquarters."

The other High Council members were listening attentively, save Naros Herpeton, the New Monarchy and Chief Councilman, who seemed to be distracted. He hadn't spoken for the duration of the meeting, strangely enough and Helios' words didn't seem to reach him. He had short, light brown hair, and his green eyes hung low as the rest of the Councilmen discussed the information at hand. His elbows were resting on his chair's arm rests and his fingers interlocked underneath his chin. Naros was about fifty years of age, and aside from the wrinkles on his face, he appeared relatively young. He was lean and average in height, but currently slouched in his seat.

"Naros?" The FWC High Councilman, Hodego Polemos, disturbed the Chief Councilman's silence. Hodego was the oldest member of the High Council, being in his mid sixties. His gray hairline was thin and receding. Despite his age, it was too apparent that he was the most arrogant of the Council. His pride in his status as the FWC Councilman was unrivaled, and his position corrupted his better judgment too many times for a man of his experience. Hodego believed himself to be the greatest of the Councilman, seeing himself as the strongest in influence both in the Council Hall and in his administration. Naros, without removing his gaze from space, spoke, "How strong are the Fallen at this base?"

"It's hard to tell." Helios began with an extended exhale. "It could be several dozen to a few hundred. Based on the activity discussed in the messages, there seems to be significant traffic present, so determining a population is difficult. The only thing I can say with confidence is that their strength is varying, but we shouldn't expect them to be in a weak state."

Naros' blank stare finally shot up after Helios' explanation, but he did not speak. At this point, Hodego spoke up, "We should assault them with heavy artillery and a Guardian force one hundred strong. With that power, seizing that base will be effortless."

Arana Shomah quickly interrupted him, "That isn't a wise course of action. As soon as we expose ourselves with a force stronger than they are, the Fallen could easily destroy any sensitive data or at least evacuate it from the premises. Even if they didn't, there is the possibility that the data could be damaged or destroyed from that kind of carnage. And you're too eager to use your toys, Polemos." She shifted her stern gaze to Naros afterwards, "We need to keep this operation quiet."

Hodego Polemos scoffed after Arana's correction, "And you are suggesting a stealth op? You and the FOTC are too cautious and docile, Shomah. You lack aggression."

"You lack sense, Councilman," Arana snapped shortly, trying to ignore Hodego's complaints. She was still waiting for Naros' response.

Naros still had his fingers interlocked but leaned forward, setting his elbows on the table, looking straight ahead and through the window. "So you say we should send in a reconnaissance team, Councilwoman?" Naros finally asked, although mostly said as a statement.

"Yes, I believe that would be the best option. We can prepare several combat-ready teams and leave them on standby. I will personally provide one of the best Dead Orbit recon teams. They can be ready at a moment's notice. After they determine their strength, the FOTC can deploy the necessary fireteams in order to extract any found information. The recon mission can begin as early as tomorrow morning." The Dead Orbit Councilwoman was a very intelligent tactician, and being the leader of one of the administrations focused on City defense, she was believably one of the most strategically dangerous women in the City, and she was right more times than she wasn't. "I can arrange the tactical approach tonight and have it ready by dawn." She smirked as she looked at Hodego with her offensive comment. The Future War Cult generally dealt with battle tactics, military preparation, artillery provisions, defensive engineering, and weaponry technological studies. For Arana to challenge Hodego's domain was common though.

Hodego glared at the woman for her insult, "Do not cross that line, Shomah. You know very well that battle plans are my jurisdiction. Just stick to building your aircraft and coddling your cowardly pilots."

"You call my pilots cowards?" she scoffed. "Need I remind you that your artillery forces have needed my air support more than once? You don't think your tank specialists aren't hiding behind heavy armor? Don't forget that I also specialize in City border defense and external investigation, so don't try to insinuate that Dead Orbit doesn't contribute to the protection of the Last City." She grinned before continuing, "Oh, should I also remind you that I have lent my assistance in developing the artillery weaponry you pride yourself with possessing?" She chuckled victoriously as Polemos silenced himself in embarrassment.

"That's enough bickering, you two," Seven Seraphs High Councilman, Chanan Manda, interjected. "We shouldn't lose track here. Our current scenario is dire and far more important than that of your past affairs." Chanan redirected his attention to the Chief Councilman, "Naros, we need to make a decision immediately. We can't afford to waste any precious time. There is no knowing how long it will take us to find more intelligence on the Fallen Houses uniting. And we can safely say that there is at least one Fallen Lord whose banner the others are flocking to. We need to find out who it is. Undoing what they have achieved will be a difficult task, but if we can eliminate their leader - cut the head off of the snake - perhaps the Houses will go into disarray and disband. Divide and conquer must be our key tactic."

Naros took Chanan's words into careful consideration. To neglect or disregard that was unwise. "Then we will send in Dead Orbit's best tomorrow morning to analyze the enemy's strength." Naros nodded at Arana, who acknowledged his command with the same gesture. Disappointed, Hodego shook his head, covered his eyes with his hand, and leaned back in his seat with a drawn out groan.

His reaction was ignored as Chanan continued where Naros left off. "I will contact the FOTC and inform them to prepare several fireteams. And I'll request that they include Fireteam Shachal as well. They should be involved with this operation. Helios, you and your wife should continue to assess the data on the memory chip. We need to be thorough and be sure all relevant information comes to light. Arana, Hodego, prepare air and artillery support. If the operation fails, we may need the firepower to support the Guardians behind enemy lines."

Naros' expression faintly bore frustration with Chanan's disruption. Chanan took notice of it, but didn't appear to be regretful. Naros then spoke, his voice hardened, "This meeting is concluded. You are dismissed."

The High Council members stood and left the room, save Chanan, who studied the Chief Councilman sitting before him.

Naros stood himself, and approached the window ahead of him, looking out into the calm of the City, "You are no fool, Chanan. In fact, you are a very intelligent man and I respect that. But sometimes I feel as if you don't utilize your wisdom. You know very well that I am in charge here."

"Do I?" Chanan responded, rising from his seat. "Or rather, do you really think you are fit to be in charge?"

"Don't try to overtake this Council. We are supposed to be cooperating with each other, my friend," Naros said, turning toward Chanan. "I know that you serve humanity well, but so do I. After all, we cannot deny that it was the Council that appointed me as its superior. As your superior." He paused for a moment and frowned as he watched the unmoved man, "Are you still bitter about not being elected Chief Councilman?"

Chanan didn't recoil from Naros' words, and spoke with a collected tone, "I am no child, despite what the whole of the Council might think. And I won't dwell on what is past, so do not accuse me of being mindful of such a thing. I am aware of your position, however. And what you are doing with it. If you want to call yourself a leader, then act like one. A distant authority won't serve as a strong foundation. If you will not lead, then I will not wait for humanity to crumble because of your lack of responsibility. If it is needed of me, I will take charge before that ever happens. Do not underestimate my loyalty to humanity. You should know the extremes I would go to for my people." Chanan's voice harbored no doubt. His confidence was frighteningly apparent, and Naros knew that he was no one to be taken lightly.

Naros lifted his head up as if trying to seem unimpressed, and peered at the Seven Seraphs High Councilman, "You may leave Councilman Manda. You have a duty to humanity to uphold. After all, you did volunteer to contact the FOTC concerning this operation, correct?" Naros watched Chanan, one of the few men that ever threatened him, silently walk out of the room. He turned to the large window and retired himself to the view of the calm City.

* * *

A nearly barren plain lied stretched out before Siga One and Siga Two. The two men concealed themselves amidst the thickest vegetation at the western edge of the grassland. Using the magnification mechanism built into their helmets' HUDs, they scanned the fortification several miles ahead in the hills before them. The base was highly active. Troops patrolled the edges of the wall deficient borders and Fallen grunts organized defenses and distributed supplies on site. Several hostile vehicles were parked in the midst of dozens of buildings composing the complex.

"Siga Three, are you in position?" Siga One queried. Siga Three and Siga Four had made their approach from a cliff southeast of his position. The cliffs provided ample elevation, allowing them to better observe the fort the Fallen had erected miles ahead. A pause ensued before Siga One received a reply.

_"In position, Siga One,"_ Siga Three whispered over the comm. _"We have a clear visual."_

"Roger," Siga One replied, motioning for Siga Two to move ahead. The two man cell slowly approached the base of the cliffs to the southeast. The gray sky blocked out the sun completely, making it easy to keep a glare free line of sight on the isolated target on the prairie. When the cell reached the cliff face they moved toward the base with a quickened pace, using the large boulders littering the ground for cover. Like a chameleon, their armor featured adaptive camouflage, allowing them to blend into their environment at all times.

After a few minutes of weaving throughout the maze of boulders, Siga Two stopped Siga One, "I have an update on... the infiltration teams? 'Nekosheth Squad and Fireteam Shachal are on standby and will be deployed at a moment's notice'." He looked up after he recited the message from his transponder on his forearm.

"We haven't determined how strong the Fallen are yet. How can they decide on the strength of the infiltration teams beforehand?" the bewildered Siga One asked.

Siga Two shook his head, puzzled himself, "Don't know, but we better send in some details before they deploy the teams. I don't want any further miscommunication or disorganization." Siga One agreed with his teammate's suggestion and began the approach to the base again.

The cell continued forward cautiously and found themselves much deeper in the expanse of boulders stretching across the base of the cliffs when Siga One contacted the other cell, "Siga Three, report." Static filled the comms.

Siga One turned to Siga Two, who shook his head, "Nothing on my end."

Siga One attempted to contact his comrades again, "Siga Three, come in." Static again. "Siga Three, Siga Four, do you copy?" Finally, a woman's panicked voice crackled through the static, gunfire reducing her words to nearly intelligible screams.

_"Siga One! This is Siga Four! Siga Three is down and I am under fire! I need immediate assi-"_ her comm went dead as the scouts listened.

"Let's move!" Siga One sprinted toward a clearing beneath an incline leading up to the top of the cliffs. When the pair of scouts reached the edge of the clearing, the faint gunshots above subsided. "Double time!"

They ran for the incline when dozens of Fallen soldiers appeared from behind the boulders encircling the two Guardians and the cliff above. The Fallen attacked the two men without warning or mercy. Siga One and Siga Two were caught off guard with the soundly executed ambush, and were surrounded. Overrun, they were unable to avoid the onslaught that would overcome them. They both felt the uncountable rounds strike them in the body, but did not experience the pain they had expected. Stun rounds rendered them paralyzed and unconscious. The Fallen Captain accompanying the group, barked at his subordinates and made his way to the Fallen base further ahead. The regulars of the enemy company disarmed the two Guardians and followed their commanding officer, dragging the unconscious men behind.

* * *

Siga One awoke with a painful headache. His faintly numb muscles were beginning to throb as he came to his senses. His hands were tightly bound, and he was kneeling next to Siga Two. Both of their helmets were removed and they were stripped of their weapons. Fallen Raiders were gripping their shoulders firmly, keeping the two invaders upright. They were surrounded by scores of Fallen in the center of the base. Siga Two slowly raised his head and struggled to speak. His attempt was swiftly met with a Fallen Marauder hitting him in the torso with his rifle. He fell forward in pain, but was pulled back up by the Raider holding him. Countless snarls and growls of anger sounded throughout the crowd. Siga One got the feeling that each of the Fallen individuals wanted to get their hands on the two of them.

Just as he finished his thought, Siga One heard a different tone in the crowd as they silenced their muttering and anticipant hisses. Loud, heavy thuds fell, picking up loose dust from the ground, and the crowd became completely quiet. Exhausted, Siga One's head fell forward. As he did, massive Fallen feet appeared in front of him, slightly to his right. He slowly lifted his head up to see the bulkiest Fallen he had ever seen. He seemed to be impossibly large for their race, standing well over three feet taller than an average man. He was far more stocky and each of his six limbs were much more muscular than his counterparts'. This Fallen was fitted with thick and heavy black armor protecting much of his body; something that wasn't seen often, even for Captains. His helmet was more elaborate than his subordinates. A heavy, pitch black cape with red Fallen characters and designs adorning his wide shoulders barely waved in the gales sweeping throughout the camp. The armor and cape he wore were worn and tattered, revealing the experience in battle he possessed. His skin was hardly the gray that most Fallen had, but that of a pale blotchy white. Out of what hide could be seen, Siga One could distinguish many scars and burns on his body. This Fallen dwarfed his comrades in stature, power, and mere presence, including the Captains who had hung their heads low.

The gigantic leader stood proudly, centered before the two men. He growled deeply to a Captain who then timidly approached him. He was handed a device that Siga One recognized as Siga Two's wide range transponder. The two Fallen commanders conversed with each other for a few moments. Then they had gone utterly silent after the Captain said something to the unusually massive Fallen, who peered at Siga Two. He slowly stepped in an arc like path around him before returning to his previous position. His heavy footfalls could be felt in the men's knees as he circled them. Suddenly, the large Fallen latched onto Siga Two's neck and lifted him into the air. His feet dangled at least four feet above the ground. The alien's thick hand reached around his head completely, but couldn't entirely fit underneath his chin. It grunted in its own dialect, as if trying to communicate with the Guardian. After making some unintelligible remarks, the Fallen managed to speak in a language the men could understand, his voice deep and violent, "Why...are...you here?"

Siga Two spat on the Fallen's helmet and began to laugh in his now raspy voice, "Go to hell, you ugly son of a-"

Before he could finish his statement, the massive leader unsheathed a long blade, obviously crafted specially for his immensity, and slashed down Siga Two's torso at a diagonal, cleaving the man in two with ease. The blade glowed with a bright pale orange, as if burning. The halves were steaming; the exposed insides cauterized. The Fallen, still holding the soldier's torso, began to laugh with a sinister joy, and threw the half a corpse to the ground next to Siga One. The excited crowd let out a deafening roar full of amusement and cheered triumphantly. The Raider who had been holding Siga Two and another Fallen grabbed his lifeless body and tossed the halves into the crowd, resulting in a frenzy of brutality, the foes desecrating the Guardian's remains.

The Fallen then approached Siga One, steeply glaring down at the man. He didn't have the strength to resist as the huge Fallen began to repeat what he had done to Siga Two. He felt his limp body sway as the Fallen gripped his neck and lift him into the air. Again the Fallen leader struggled to ask, "Why are...you...here?"

The Guardian barely had the energy to chuckle, "Go to hell, you ugly son of a bitch." The giant groaned with anger and disappointment. Siga One felt the searing hot blade pierce his gut. He tried his best to refuse the crowd screams that he knew they desired, but the intense pain was too unbearable. His tortured moans echoed in the base and he had heard the pleased crowd shout again with murderous glee. Before he lost consciousness from the shock, Siga One felt himself fall and hang from the Fallen's grip on his ankle. The massive warrior pulled at his leg and ripped the blade through the Guardian's vertical. The Fallen beast roared thunderously as he grabbed the two halves of Siga One and threw them into the crowd of his subordinates. The small army followed suit and let out howls of victory, mutilating the two invaders' bodies. The large Fallen let his soldiers satisfy their blood thirsts on the carcasses of their enemies, and he made his way to the border of the base. He scanned the landscape with the equivalent of a wicked grin, waiting for his next visitors' arrival.


	9. Chapter 9: Doubts

Chapter 9: Doubts

The armory wasn't as hectic as it was during the previous visit. Only a few dozen other Guardians were tending to their respective duties and businesses. Irregular intervals of gunfire echoed from the firing range in the second block. Currently, Shachal was spending their time in the central zone, working with their gear. Lukos observed his teammates, still unsure what to think of any of them, that is, of Tharsos, Selana, and Kaeneth. He didn't deny that he hated Sideros. But lately he could tell that Sideros' behavior was unusual, to say the least. He was absent at this point, attending to matters unimportant to Lukos.

The clanging of steel distracted Lukos and he saw Tharsos cleaning the parts of "Hail of Fire." His partially constructed LMG sat just to his side on the workbench. Several large metallic red bullets littered the area around his disassembled rifle. The man, still as distant as ever, worked three tables ahead of Lukos, Selana, and Kaeneth. The old man was whistling, comfortably sitting in a wooden stool behind Lukos, sharpening his stone polished throwing knives.

Lukos stepped toward Selana, who was tinkering with her fusion SMG, "Heaven's Tempest." She was smoothly dismantling the complicated looking machine and adjusting its parts according to her liking. Her ingenuity was amazing. Lukos had played with many pieces of technology growing up, but he couldn't make heads or tails of Selana's violet weapon.

He watched attentively before picking up and examining a curious piece of the instrument, "What makes that thing so special?"

Selana, without slowing in the slightest, explained, "Well, it is a prototype, so I am still adjusting it little by little. I personally designed it in an attempt to minimize time spent on reloading. Naturally, it had a high fire rate, but with some modifications, I managed to increase its fire rate significantly beyond that of a typical Osiris or FWC fusion rifle. Unfortunately, the biggest issue is the recoil. I have been trying to reduce it from within the body itself, but I haven't succeeded yet." She stopped working as she closed her statement.

Impressed, Lukos nodded, jutting his lower lip out, "You said you made it to reduce reload time though, right? Did you manage to get that to work?"

Selana began again, "I actually did succeed with that. Most fusion rifles have consumable energy cells that act much like a typical magazine. However, these energy cells don't get recharged easily when the volume depletes." She then grabbed a compact cylinder housing three small energy cells set in a radial orientation. "This was my answer to that problem. Each cell holds 32 shots. Following the depletion of the battery, the cylinder automatically cycles to the next cell. Even with the minimum time spent firing, the individual batteries on standby in the receiver will fully recharge before they are engaged again. A very small reactor is housed in the weapon that charges these cells after consumption. By the time you make a full cycle, you will have fired 96 shots in less than 3 seconds, assuming you have a heavy trigger finger. Of course, I also developed a nitrogen based coolant system that prevents the reactor and cells from overheating. This is ultimately a hybrid between fusion rifles and SMGs, bridging the gap between rate of fire and damage of the two particular types." Selana concluded her explanation and began to reassemble the weapon, placing a modified red dot sight, adjustable stock, and fore grip on the SMG's mounts.

Stunned and a little envious, Lukos muttered, "Damn, you're smart." Selana chuckled as he walked to an adjacent table, gently setting his sniper rifle, "Rude Awakening", down on the table. It was very battered and worn and Lukos gazed at the veteran of a rifle, recollecting its history. Lukos frowned and lowered his eyes as he withdrew "Huckleberry" from its holster. He checked its ammunition yet again. A habit that he would never break. _Always be sure your mag's full. _Lukos thought to himself with a somber smile.

Suddenly, a thick Scottish accent startled Lukos. He was unaware of the elderly expert's approach, "Ah, that's an old rifle, ya' have there, Lukos. I haven't seen that model in ages. I know they don't manufacture it anymore. Where did ya' get it?"

Watching Kaeneth's every move with his sniper rifle, Lukos' response came late, "Found it."

"Well, she may be a bit old, like me, but she's a good weapon," Kaeneth said with a hearty laugh, studying the gun. Lukos placed "Huckleberry" back in its holster and quickly grabbed "Rude Awakening."

"And yours? I don't get it. I was thrown off on the last op." Lukos said, changing the subject.

"Aye, that it did," Kaeneth started with a grin. "I call it the 'Finger of God'. It's a bit unique, but it wasn't like that before I got it. I'm not as smart as Selana, but I tinkered with ma' rifle a little too."

"So what did you modify?" Lukos asked.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Forgive ma' age. I upped the power o' the rifle itself quite a bit. Tweaked the projectile design. Increased the velocity o' the bullets."

"That's it?" Lukos sighed, dissatisfied.

"Aye, that's it. Put a new variable zoom scope on and a hybrid bipod that serves as a fore grip too. But no big changes."

"That can't be it. That doesn't justify my confusion." Lukos told the old Hunter, perplexed. "When you say you upped the power, what do you specifically mean by upped?"

"Its muzzle velocity used ta' be quite ordinary some years ago. I failed many a time when I played with the body and bullets, but I finally managed ta' reach about 15,000 feet per second." Kaeneth chuckled almost proudly, his defined wrinkles revealing themselves.

Lukos was shocked as he did the math, "Is that even possible? Getting a bullet to fire that fast? That projectile's traveling over five and a half miles in two seconds."

Kaeneth, still laughing moderately, answered, "I guess, but maybe I just got lucky. It's ma' pride and joy though. Reminds me o' storms. Enemies will be dead and their friends clueless long before the thunder catches the lightning. Well, ya' witnessed that, didn't ya'?" The old amused man walked a few paces away shaking his head, as if hearing the explanation for the first time himself.

Lukos couldn't help but believe the senior Guardian. He could remember the inconsistency of Kaeneth's shots in the last mission. Now it made sense, despite being so unbelievable.

"Oh, here Lukos," Kaeneth tossed a handful of small red orbs to Lukos, who barely caught them as he turned. "Those might come in handy sometime. I noticed ya' didn't have any Seekers so there ya' go."

Lukos examined the spheres. Their collective volume hardly filled the palm of his hand. "What are they?" he asked Kaeneth.

"They're a type o' explosive, but I modified those ta' serve as more than a homing mine. They're much more reliable than the average one."

Lukos didn't know what to say. The old Hunter was a decent enough guy, but Lukos didn't readily trust anyone. For now though, some gratitude would suffice. Maybe he could put them to use. "Thanks," Lukos replied.

"Don't worry about it," Kaeneth said, returning to his seat.

As they finished their discussion, Lukos noticed Tharsos had completely reassembled his rifle and was currently loading his shotgun. "Nice scattergun, big guy. Where did you get it?"

Tharsos standing squarely, finished loading his shotgun to the maximum and looked up at Lukos, "Found it."

Lukos furrowed his eyebrow and frowned, immediately giving the conversation up.

Shortly after, the group of four saw Sideros snapped around the corner. His boots clacked on the floor loudly with his long, cadent strides, the echoes carrying on before he reached his destination. The Exo Commander stopped in front of the team, standing just to the right of Selana's workbench.

"Fireteam Shachal," he started with his usual firm tone. "Now is as good a time as any to inform you on the purpose of your assembly. We have been called on to partake in a retrieval mission. The Osiris organization uncovered more information regarding the Fallen Union. Specifically, a remote locale which is believed to be a small enemy headquarters was discovered. This morning, a Dead Orbit reconnaissance team was deployed to investigate the area. Two hours after their first report, Dead Orbit lost communication with the team. Based on what information we can rely on from their reports, the Dead Orbit and FWC administrations as well as the FOTC deem it necessary to take the offensive. However, a large scale attack must wait until Fireteam Shachal infiltrates the enemy base and retrieves any potential information housed in the complex. After you evacuate the data from the vicinity, a heavy assault will be made to level the base. You must not fail this mission. It cannot be stressed enough. The information the Fallen have is vital to the war." The Exo paused momentarily. "The Dead Orbit organization wants you to be briefed on the tactics for infiltration and retrieval at the FWC HQ. The conference starts in one hour. For now, head to Loading Dock S-153. You will have further instructions upon your arrival. Take any and all necessary equipment. This operation will be on a scale larger and more severe than the one in Old Denver. You are dismissed." Sideros immediately turned and left the armory in a hurry, his footsteps fading as Selana finished assembling her fusion SMG and the rest of the team grabbed their gear. They departed for Fireteam Shachal's hangar; a new acquaintance awaiting their arrival.

* * *

When we entered the bay, we were met with the same view of hustling engineers and flight technicians working on the dark blue and silver ship docked in the center of the large room. But this time the vessel's thrusters were activated. The Dead Orbit mechanics were presumably testing to determine if the engines were in sound condition. Shortly, we were approached by one of the specialists, "Fireteam Shachal?"

"Yes," Selana replied.

"Follow me." He led us to the ship's hatch and contacted one of his coworkers, who apparently was inside the fighter. The hatch opened and the escorting specialist motioned inside, "Welcome to Shachal's ship, the _Volframio_. He's waiting in the bridge." The technician left us, as did his partner. Despite its small size, the interior was surprisingly spacious. The first room ahead of the ship's main hatch was a cargo hold. The port and starboard sides had a dozen passenger seats total, each with heavy duty locking mechanisms and harnesses. Below, three Sparrows, compact one-man land based transport vehicles, could be seen with nothing but the steel grated floor between us and them. Ahead of the cargo hold, weapon racks lined the walls and supplies were stocked on the shelves. Ammunition, rations, miscellaneous equipment, and the like were stored about the room. Ahead of the armory was the bridge. Inside, scores of various colored lights and switches could be seen illuminating the cockpit. But one set of lights hovering above the pilot and copilot seats was most peculiar.

"It's been too long, Petros!" Kaeneth exclaimed with glee.

The strange octagonal-faced sphere's body was a dark stone polished gray alloy and its lights pulsed slowly with both a bright white and dark gray luminescence; the machine rotated quizzically, "Kaeneth? Is that you?" The Ghost spoke calmly but excitement was distinguishable. Kaeneth stepped in front of us, overjoyed. "Kaeneth. Time hasn't been good to you. I do pity you, old friend. Aside from being deactivated for fifteen years, I am still looking as sharp as ever. Would you like to know my secret?" Petros spoke with a thrumming, harmonic tone.

"I know your secret, Petros. I have told ya' in the past that ya're just a light bulb wrapped in a ball o' tin." Kaeneth began to snicker as Petros' lights dimmed to a near black, denoting his change in emotion.

"I have told you in the past, Kaeneth, that I am not a ball of tin. My shell is formed from a rather complex composite alloy infused with the Traveler's energy." Petros said, annoyed.

"Well, I'm glad ta' see ya' haven't changed at all, Petros," Kaeneth began to laugh again. "Ah, where are ma' manners? Petros, I would like ya' ta' meet Fireteam Shachal. The new one, that is." Selana greeted the Ghost with a smile and bow and Lukos and I simply looked at it.

"I already know them. Or rather, about them. I have already accessed every file the FOTC has documented, including theirs. Kaeneth, you should know I'm particularly interested in any information regarding the members of Shachal, whether they be current or former."

"Hold on a second here," Lukos interrupted. "Kaeneth. Am I understanding this right? You were a member of the previous Fireteam Shachal?" Lukos waited for Kaeneth's response, his anticipation borderline impatient. Selana and I took the thought in as much surprise as Lukos. But as shocked as I was, it wasn't unbelievable. He was an exceptional Hunter to say the least, if not one of the most skilled veterans the City had in its ranks. Curious myself, I too waited for Kaeneth's reply.

"Ah, I got a bit careless with ma' conversation with Petros, didn't I?" Kaeneth scratched his unkempt beard, trying to find an explanation. "Well, I guess there's no getting out o' this one. Aye, I was one o' the other Shachal members. That's why Sideros and I are so close, if ya' couldn't tell." He jokingly laughed but they died quickly, "I don't like ta' bring those days up. They're done and gone." The old man closed with a forced smile.

"Are you a Vanguard like Sideros?" Lukos asked, his interrogative questions unrelenting.

Kaeneth sighed with defeat and closed his eyes, "Aye."

"Why be so secretive?" Lukos asked.

"I never cared much for being given the title o' 'Vanguard'. Sideros never did himself either. Vanguards are the heroes o' the City, examples o' strength, courage, honor, and sacrifice. Guardians who had gone where most feared ta' go. Champions who stood against the impossible at whatever cost ta' themselves. They bring hope ta' people. Because o' that, the FOTC and Council want Vanguards behind the Wall. But me, I'm just a soldier. If I don't die fighting, then it's not a soldier's death, Vanguard or not."

Before Lukos could ask more, Petros interjected, "Excuse me, but our time is running short. Before you take your leave, I must speak with Guardian Selana Kaiah. It concerns the _Volframio_." Selana stepped forward and Kaeneth slipped between Lukos and me, leaving the ship's bridge. "Thank you, Ms. Kaiah. for your assistance. The flight systems are operational on the _Volframio_. However, the other operations are still offline. Having reviewed your files, I understand that you are exceptionally knowledgeable with this technology. Although these 'specialists' crawling about this ship are Dead Orbit engineers, their expertise is mediocre at best. With your aid, I could finish outfitting the vessel much sooner." Petros rotated toward Lukos and I, "You may go, Guardians Katenos and Chorvo. I have no need for your presence. Ms. Kaiah and I will be finished shortly. Afterward, you may depart for your strategy meeting."

I dismissed the Ghost's pompous remark and heard Lukos scoff at it as I stepped out into the ship's armory. Kaeneth was leaning against the doorway between the armory and the transport hold. His head hung slightly. He lowered his crossed arms and stepped further into the armory as Lukos and I entered. "Just a heads up, kiddos," Kaeneth started, "Don't talk ta' Sideros about being a Vanguard. He tends ta' get a bit upset when that topic comes up."

Lukos seemed conflicted with Kaeneth's suggestion when I looked at him. I expected more questioning but Lukos just let the subject go.

"From now on, ya' can use this ship as your armory. This hangar is strictly home ta' Fireteam Shachal and the _Volframio_." Kaeneth stepped out into the rear of the ship as Lukos and I placed our rifles tightly into the braces of the rugged weapon racks.

Lukos turned to me as I put my shotgun in place, "Other than Sideros, am I the only one who has doubts with this team?"

"You're not," I said sternly, shifting my attention to the member of Shachal I currently doubted most. "Why do you care to know? I thought you weren't a team player."

"I'm not, but I'm stuck with you Guardians. You're not the worst I've had to work with, but I still don't trust any of you yet, in character or in experience. I won't let you or anyone else in this group slow me down. I owe no allegiance to this City all of you protect. My only purpose for this is action first and money second." Lukos raised his head boldly as he spoke. He bordered himself between cocky and confident as he finally came clean with me. "My lack of confidence is not exclusive to Shachal. I have no faith in your Vanguards either. They mean nothing to me. I don't let fallen soldiers give me a false sense of hope,... Katenos."

Surprise struck Lukos when the weapon racks clashed loudly and he found himself pinned against the wall of the ship, my gauntlet squeezing his neck as I held him firmly in place. I leaned in toward my grip on his neck, glaring into his eyes, which were still holding their unwavering focus. I spoke with a composed, but fierce, tone, "Take better care with your words,... Outcast."

Lukos blinked, anger flushing his face, "Heh, so you do have a fuse. Tell me. Did Thumos' death bring any hope to you, Tharsos? Did you find peace when those you loved died? Did you find yourself any stronger? Any braver?" Lukos began to chuckle and I tightened my grip, causing him to cough. I exhaled ragefully and threw Lukos to the ground. He wheezed as he looked up at me, smiling insultingly as he stood.

When I took my attention away from the man, I saw Selana and Petros watching us from the bridge. I couldn't blame her for being concerned. I felt as if my hopes for our success as a team were diminishing rapidly. I began to wonder what Lukos' motives were; why he was antagonizing us. I took one last look at my team before I made my exit. When I turned to leave, I was met with a somber Kaeneth, wrinkling his brow in frustration. I stormed past him and left the ship. My arising doubts about the team began to worry me more than ever. _What dues lay in wait for us?_

* * *

Kaeneth led Lukos and Selana to the FWC administration's base of operations. Vehicles spanned the company's territory to the maximum threshold. Their mechanics ran maintenance on passenger transport and artillery vehicles and the loyal operatives of the Future War Cult were wary of nearly all visitors on the property. Lukos caught several directed glances of distrust and caution from the guards. Despite the discomforting district's atmosphere, Kaeneth seemed to be uncaring. The trip from the Tower to the FWC HQ was an uncomfortably quiet one. Lukos knew that Shachal's members were distant due to the incident he had with Tharsos. But his reasons for instigating it were necessary. Lukos had to push them to their limits; test their patience. He couldn't afford to have someone hold him back or get him killed, so knowing their strengths and weaknesses in both body and mind would be more of an advantage to his survival. Trusting in a characteristic he knew nothing about would only lead to his demise. Self preservation was always a priority, and Shachal wouldn't be the cause of his downfall.

The three Guardians checked in at the entrance of the facility, the interior's mood just as the exterior's; the only difference being the increased number of guards posted throughout. Lukos could tell Kaeneth must have made many trips to this building in the past. He continued to lead Lukos and Selana without slowing and without any measure of misdirection. The group finally found themselves in the center of the complex, having walked ten minutes since entering the building. A one way glass paned window was ahead, this side too dark to see through. A dozen FWC Guardians guarded the room from the outside. They all wore the same uniform and were armed with FWC standard issue assault rifles. They remained eerily still as the three Shachal members entered. The strategy room was barely lit and plain in appearance, and once inside, Lukos noticed that the glass wall was designed to absorb the acoustics inside, preventing passing individuals outside from hearing even a muffled word.

Lukos saw two unfamiliar faces ahead. A tall Awoken woman with deep black hair and white highlights and an old stocky man dressed in a sharp and creased officer's FWC uniform conversed with each other. Standing at the holographic table-like terminal, the two officials were accompanied by Tharsos and Sideros. Kaeneth stopped next to Sideros and began to analyze the information displayed on the terminal. Selana stood next to Tharsos separating him from Lukos who stood to her right. Lukos glanced at Tharsos who didn't return the gesture, remaining focused. Dismissing their recent conflict for a later time, Lukos studied the screen himself.

The three members who had just entered were greeted by the Awoken woman, "Welcome, Guardians Atos, Kaiah, and Chorvo. I am Dead Orbit's High Councilwoman, Arana Shomah. My colleague is the FWC's High Councilman, Hodego Polemos. We summoned you here today to discuss the strategy for the infiltration and retrieval mission you will be deployed on shortly. We do not have a complete analysis of the enemy stronghold, but based on what we did receive from the Dead Orbit recon team, we have formulated the best tactical approach we can launch. The Fallen base is located in a remote plain here." The hologram on the terminal projected a three dimensional replica of the area, showing us the base and the surrounding terrain. "The plain itself drops in elevation as you approach the base from the west. The hills on the western incline offer some cover thanks to the high amounts of vegetation, but not the best lines of sight needed for the snipers. The cliff faces and plateaus that partly surround the base to its southern and eastern edges provide plenty of sight lines. Unfortunately, the elevated cliffs do not provide any cover from hostile aircraft, assuming they have those resources at their disposal. The small woodland to the northern edge of the base does provide the most cover, but due to being on the same approximate elevation, it doesn't offer the best vantage point. Also, most of the northern and eastern borders of the base are reinforced with walls and therefore are not guarded as heavily. The southern and western faces are more heavily guarded since they don't have any erected. A single sentry tower sits in the center of the fortification."

Councilwoman Shomah paused and sighed. "We lost contact with Siga Team early in the scouting operation, so we didn't get any information on the Fallen traffic schedule. So unfortunately, I can't tell you what kind of resistance to expect. We must assume the worst. Siga Team was likely eliminated, so it's probable that the Fallen have made the necessary preparations for an assault."

She looked at Councilman Polemos, contemplating her next words. The FWC Councilman frowned and waved his hand at her. Arana turned back to the holographic map. "We can't promise you the outcome of this tactic. Assuming the Fallen have established a stronger defense, you may need to improvise. We considered that possibility, and came up with this plan. You may use it as a template, but you should try to follow it as closely as the scenario will allow. There will be three teams in this operation: the overwatch, the decoy, and the infiltration. The first goal is to capture a neighboring supply outpost about five miles to the northeast of their main base of operations. The decoy team will hold the post and bait the main base's reinforcements to retake their outpost. Once they depart, we hope that the base's personnel will be reduced enough to allow an approach. The FWC will supply the decoy team with some artillery support which will remain hidden until the Fallen forces arrive. Given enough time, the infiltration team will invade the base on two fronts, the first of which is the defense cell, tasked with drawing the Fallen attention toward the non-walled edges of the base at the southern edge. In the meantime, the stealth cell will infiltrate the base from the weakly guarded northern wall. After the infiltration is successful, the stealth cell will set off a short range EMP that will temporarily render their communication tech useless, but won't damage the data. The overwatch will provide you real time updates on the surroundings as well as enemy locations. They will also serve as a support team, eliminating the hostiles the infiltration team can't manage or reach. Remember that the EMP will only last for a short time, approximately ten minutes. You must retrieve the data as soon as possible. Once you do extract the intel, retreat from the area and get to extraction immediately. The rest of our forces will clean up the stragglers. I will also leave some fighters on standby should the air support be necessary."

Considering most of her data was comprised of the area's terrain and very little on the Fallen, she had a sound strategy. For a force only fireteams strong to overtake a base home to potentially hundreds of hostiles was a feat most would deem impossible. It was obvious that Arana wasn't an ordinary tactician.

She began again, "We were originally against his participation in this mission, but we have decided that Commander Sideros will be leading the operation, and will form the teams when you rendezvous with the other operatives. The cooperative Guardians have been briefed and are standing by for your arrival and orders, Commander Sideros." She looked the five Guardians before her over, straightening her posture, "Take your leave, Shachal. Good luck." Sideros made an early exit as she concluded the meeting, and was followed shortly afterward by his subordinates. Lukos eyed each of the Shachal members as they all left the room. When his studious gaze reached Tharsos, Lukos was reminded of his doubts concerning the Titan. Tharsos intrigued Lukos more than any of the others did. Especially after he saw the man snap in Old Denver. The Hunter wanted to know what caused his rampage.

* * *

As soon as we stepped into the _Volframio, _the hatch was sealed shut behind us. Petros wasted no time getting the ship prepared for launch. As I walked toward the bridge, I felt the smooth vibrations of the ship's oversized thrusters engage. Petros called out from the bridge, "I would recommend you find a seat before I find you one on the floor." I stopped at the doorway between the cargo hold and the armory, and gripped the top lip of the steel entrance tightly. Kaeneth jogged ahead of me, trying to get to the bridge before Petros set out of the hangar. Selana followed behind Kaeneth at a swift pace. I could make out the Ghost greet her when she entered and took her seat next to Kaeneth. Petros descended to a port between the two pilot seats that his metallic body fit snugly into. The lights that illuminated his body spread throughout the device he linked himself with. Sideros and Lukos stayed in the cargo hold, both separated as far from each other as possible. Sideros seated at the port side of the ship deepest in the cargo hold. Lukos sat near the rear of the cargo hold at the starboard side. The three of us at the rear of the vessel remained silent, unlike the three in the bridge, who talked amongst themselves about the ship's functions and systems.

I felt the shuttle rise gradually, the reverberations intensifying as the thrusters powered up. And then in utter silence, the engines shifted and the _Volframio _lurched forward forcefully. My astonishment with the ship's power was followed with me bracing myself, widening my base as the ship veered toward our destination. Slowly, I adjusted to the velocity of the _Volframio _and stepped into the armory. I decided to check my weapons and be sure they were in operational condition for the mission. A magnetic table was in the middle of the room. The equipment and tools would stay in place when the ship shifted in position, convenient for those who would want to work on their gear without interruption or hindrance. I approached my weapon rack and rested my hand on the stock of 'Make My Day.' The shotgun's paintjob was still scratched in a few places, virtually unchanged since Thureos wielded it. I did my best to keep it in the condition he had it in when he owned it. His favorite weapon was my most precious keepsake. I had it with me since my brother's death and I still hadn't used it yet. I couldn't bring myself to. I was the only Katenos who hadn't used it since it became a family heirloom. My hand resting on it began to tighten around the stock, my self-hatred seething as I revisited my past.

"We have an incoming message from an FOTC transponder near the objective's coordinates!" Selana yelled. I left the armory instantly and entered the bridge, Sideros and Lukos following behind.

"Patch them in," Sideros ordered, stepping closer to the pilot seats. Selana flicked some switches and soon static could be heard over the comm.

_"We require immed- assistan-! -e wer- off guard! They- surroun- us! A Guardian is injur-. Send someone ASAP!" _The woman's words were interrupted with short breaths and her firing weapon. Other gunfire could be heard in the background, only compounding the message's interference. The link to the Guardian's comm. was cut off altogether and static filled the bridge for several seconds before the channel was closed.

"Orders, sir?" Selana queried, turning in her seat to look at Sideros.

"Put everything into the ship's engines without sacrificing stealth systems. Get to those coordinates now." Sideros turned to the armory, withdrawing a scout rifle I didn't recognize from a weapon mount. He loaded a magazine and turned toward Lukos and me. "Arm up, Shachal. We will be dropping in hot."


	10. Chapter 10: Sidetracked

Chapter 10: Sidetracked

The once comfortable ambience was disturbed with the screaming sound of the outer atmosphere rushing into the cargo hold as the hatch's seal was released. My feet were firmly planted on the floor beneath me. I felt the gales ripping through the cargo hold try to pull me out into the atmosphere. I gripped a brace above me tightly as the vehement winds yanked at my body. My teammates also lined the exit as we waited for Petros' signal. A green light appeared on my HUD, giving me the okay to jump from the ship's hold. In sync, the five of us ran and leapt from the edge of the open hatch. I felt the powerful grip of gravity pull on me as I continued to accelerate. We repositioned ourselves in free fall, straightening our bodies, facing the Earth's surface, reducing the drag. I remained calm as we reached terminal velocity, but could feel my body shake violently from the fall.

As we closed in on the surface, Sideros came in on the team's private channel, _"Petros, take the Volframio to the primary LZ and cloak it necessarily. Refrain from using the wide band channels. We do not want the enemy to lock in on any open transmissions. Remain on standby until I order otherwise."_

Petros answered in character, _"Yes, I know, Kauson. Your orders are vain, as usual. You need not tell me what to do or how to do it. I wasn't created yesterday."_

Sideros ignored Petros as we continued our swift descent. Shortly thereafter, he ordered, _"Get into formation, Shachal."_ Repositioning myself again, I piloted my body toward the center of the formation. Sideros was at my left and Selana at my right. Lukos and Kaeneth fell at either side of them. When the five of us lined ourselves accordingly, we returned to our prone positions in respect to the Earth's surface. Immediately after, I felt the firm steel gauntlet of Sideros latch onto my left shoulder plate. Selana's hand gripped my right. With their other free arms, the two Warlocks grabbed Lukos and Kaeneth.

For but a few more seconds, we continued our fall. Sideros then commanded, _"Engage, Kaiah!"_ As soon as he finished his order, I felt the velocity at which my body fell slow. The feeling was strange. I felt lighter, as if my mass was decreasing. Pulses of the odd energy came in several more waves from Sideros and Selana. Each time, my body feeling subsequently lighter. By the time we reached but a few hundred feet from the ground, our velocities declined drastically, reducing our free fall to a relatively calm float. We soon reached the mark when we all brought our feet beneath us, and landed safely on the soil of the plains. I quickly equipped myself with my LMG, the rest of my counterparts taking the same action with their weapons; only I saw Selana on one knee, breathing heavily. The continuously rapid use of the Warlock energies paid a toll on her body, but we had no time to waste. Sideros, on the other hand, wasn't fatigued in the slightest. A benefit to being an Exo. The Warlock energies were still limited for him, but they didn't wear on his body like they did a human or Awoken.

Sideros took notice of Selana's fatigue. As I studied his observing of her condition, I realized that although he appeared annoyed, his voice suggested that he sympathized with her status, "Atos. Stay with Kaiah at the tree line, and keep yourselves concealed until we assist the Guardians ahead. Kaiah, your time to rest is limited. Use it wisely."

Selana looked up at the Exo Commander and nodded, still breathing laboriously, "Yes, sir." She slowly rose and with the help of Kaeneth, made her way to the tree line nearby.

Sideros quickly raced for the coordinates where the Guardians in need of aid were located, "Katenos. Chorvo. Double time."

The three of us sprinted for our current objective. A waypoint set on a compass built into my HUD aided my bearings. Within a few minutes, the sounds of gunfire grew in intensity and frequency. Ahead, laid a short stretch of old buildings, human in origin. A small ghost town now home to Fallen invaders was overrun with hostiles. As we approached the town from its outskirts, I could make out the swift movements of Fallen Vandals and Dregs leaping from rooftop to rooftop to the end of the settlement. Below, in the streets, several Raiders and Marauders ran in the same direction, full of blood thirst, firing at currently unseen persons. As we reached the edge of the outer buildings, we slowed our pace and resorted to stealth. We crept forward and once in the shadows, Lukos peered at the Fallen's point of interest.

"There are a few dozen Fallen targets closing in on that store at the far corner. I only see grunts. No Captains from what I can tell, but we shouldn't rule them out," he said as he scanned the battlefield.

"Chorvo, take to the rooftops. Katenos, we will assault them from the ground. Eliminate all hostiles with extreme prejudice. Do not offer them a single hope of freedom or life." Sideros checked his rifle and began to emerge from the building's overcast shadow. I followed suit and we both stepped into the dusty windswept road. Lukos began to climb the building behind us with amazing finesse and speed as we made our approach. For only a few seconds after exposing ourselves, we managed to keep our movements unknown to our enemies. A handful of Fallen noticed us and began to open fire on our position, but we sprinted forward, narrowly evading most of the murderous rounds fired at us. Our armor defended us from the rest. Their mistake in attacking us was paid in full with deadly shots fired from overhead. Lukos sniped the Vandals on the roofs as he ran toward the same location. Sideros and I opened fire on the targets on ground level. Sideros' scout rifle fired lone slugs into our opponents' heads, which in turn were substituted with wispy clouds of light dissipating into the dust. My own rifle's blistering hot rounds tore through their pitiful torsos with violent silence, as if the terrifying roars of ruthlessness initially released from my weapon were utterly deafened with the nonexistence of sound. Our merciless onslaught continued as we raced for the store. Alien bodies fell beneath our feet and from the buildings to our sides.

The surprise attack we mounted provided us with a beneficial outcome as we found ourselves at the intersection with no mishaps. Lukos was already set up above us by the time we reached the defensive position behind an old, overturned vehicle at the crossroads. I looked over the hull of the oxidized car. Sideros reloaded his rifle as I saw dark figures shuffle about and muzzle flashes pour out of the store ahead. About half a dozen more Fallen soldiers ran from the road to our left toward the shop, some running on all limbs. Opening fire on the Fallen opponents, I realized that these warriors were far more aggressive than those we encountered in Old Denver. Even as rounds pierced them, they charged after the store in a frenzied rage. The stubborn creatures continued to fire at the pinned Guardians relentlessly, even as they bled to death, suffering from wounds that would eliminate the average Fallen in no time. I primed a fragmentation grenade and counted to three before I lobbed it into the center of the junction. After the dust started to settle from the blast, Sideros leapt up into the air, his massive body gliding to the rooftop to my right. A fiery purple light appeared in his left hand, enveloping the clear image of his lower arm. Before his landing, the Exo unleashed the Nova Bomb, throwing it with all his might at the remaining Fallen stragglers. Silence fell on the battlefield, and Sideros yelled at the shop being used as a bunker, "Identify yourselves!"

The voice of a woman called out, "Later! This fight isn't over yet!" We rechecked our surroundings but couldn't see any other enemy units.

Sideros replied after studying the area, "All hostiles have been eliminat-"

Before he could finish his statement, a low rumble groaned to my left, and a thunderous crash ensued. The fragile building that served as Lukos' perch suddenly collapsed. I barely witnessed Lukos recover as he jumped high from the roof and roll to his feet on the street. A group of four Cabal Legionnaires charged from the chaos and rubble, snarling and salivating at the sight of me in front of them. The closest two charged with their cannon-like rifles swinging in fury, no doubt hoping to cleave me in two with the axe-like blades mounted underneath. I barely managed to dodge the bulky beasts' flailing attacks and backpedaled to a safer distance. I didn't go easy on the trigger and hosed my LMG into the Rhinos' legs, hoping to slow their assault. I saw a deep reddish light intensify in one of their weapon's barrels. I snapped around on my feet and sprinted from the behemoths. A powerful blast struck the worn asphalt behind me, its shockwave sending me forward several feet. I didn't spend any more than half a second on the ground when the nearest beast tried to crush me underfoot. I rolled to my side quickly and heard a searing blast of energy strike the Cabal.

When I rose to my feet, Sideros' heavy frame crashed into the ground opposite of the Cabal attackers. Lukos was atop the vehicle I was once behind a few seconds ago. He crouched and fired his sniper rifle at the Cabal Legionnaires. The distracted giants turned toward my teammates. Now surrounded, they were at a disadvantage, like prey hunted by wolves. But even like prey, and us like wolves, we couldn't afford to underestimate their ferocity when backed into a corner.

The three of us opened fire, bullets lodging into the thick hide of the hideous aliens. As I maintained constant movement while pressing the offensive, I saw three figures emerge from the shop down the street, all running toward the battle. As they grew closer, the Guardians fired at the Legionnaires. I sprayed the Cabal nearest to me in the back of its legs and it fell to the ground, moaning in agony. I chased after the giant quickly, seeing the opening for the kill. As I approached the weakened Cabal, another turned toward me and reared its weapon up, as if preparing to execute me. Before it could bring the cleaver-attached weapon down on me, a golden red streak of light flashed and blew through its head, leaving a huge gaping cavity where its face once was. Lukos dropped from his mount, reloading his glowing revolver. Thanking his quick reaction, I returned my attention to the felled beast below me. I placed my rifle against its head and pulled the trigger, the searing hot rounds tearing through the creature's face.

Making use of guerilla tactics, I pulled back and kept moving as I reloaded my LMG. Two Cabal remained and their roars burned with hatred for those who killed their comrades. They charged after Lukos, Sideros, and the three Guardians who continued to fire at them with a vengeance. The ground quaked with each of their sluggish bounds and I closed in after them from behind, my rifle reloaded. I fired carefully, doing my best to keep from hitting any of my allies. As I pursued, the gunfire ahead slowed as the Guardians reloaded. Only feeling one set of gunfire hitting their armor, one of the Legionnaires halted and turned toward me, swinging its bladed cannon horizontally. I slid forward and ducked as the weapon swept just over my head. I launched myself up and jumped on the Cabal's trigger arm. The creature spun chaotically and tried to free itself from my grip with its free arm. I climbed the beast and began to punch it in the face, which only infuriated the tough skinned alien. The Cabal began to snap its jaws and growl with frustration. Timing it well, I shoved the primed grenade I had in my hand into the gruesome mouth of the Legionnaire. I propelled myself from my foothold, being the creature's back, and fell to the ground. The explosion resulted in a rain of blood, flesh, bone, and steel as well as the heavy thud of the Cabal's intact remains falling limp to the blood soaked dust.

Picking myself up with a drawn out exhale, I saw the last standing Cabal ahead of me being picked off by Lukos, Sideros, and the three Guardians we came to assist. I ran to toward them and by the time I came close to the group, Sideros jumped at the alien's head with a running start. When he reached the War Rhino, he grabbed its face tightly with his right hand and cooked its head with an intensely generated Nova Bomb. When the strong balance of the Cabal's massive legs weakened, Sideros slammed its head into the ground with a compressed, focused explosion, the organic material and blood spattering widely on the road.

This fight was over, and as I slowly walked toward my team, I could see the exhaustion in the Guardians before me, save Sideros who was a tireless soldier. "Atos, Kaiah, the situation is under control, and the premises is clear of all hostiles. Rendezvous here, immediately," Sideros said as if nothing fazed him these past several minutes.

Kaeneth then responded, "_Aye, Kauson. We'll be there, soon_."

Sideros turned toward the Guardians unknown to us, "Identify yourselves."

Two of them, both bearing the exact same armor, removed their helmets. Underneath, were the faces of light gray skinned Awoken women, both young and beautiful. Their hair was auburn and their eyes a deep violet. The only difference between the two Warlocks was that one was slightly taller than the other. When the taller of the two spoke, we were met with a soft and respectful voice, "Forgive us for not doing so earlier, but we were a little preoccupied." As she said so, she looked at the fallen Cabal nearest to us. "My name is Machaira Saia, and this is my twin sister, Romphaia." She then turned to her right, "This is Aksena Timao. She is one of our Hunters. The other three members of our squad are inside the shop. Our other Hunter was hit shortly before we hailed you."

Her sister, Romphaia, scoffed disappointedly, "Idiot nearly got us all killed."

Machaira looked at her sister disapprovingly, but rather than responding to her sister's harsh words, she motioned for us to follow her, "This way. You should meet the rest of us."

The twins were followed by the rigid and wary Aksena, who still wore her helmet and held her rifle at the ready. Lukos followed closely, pleased with the three women's attractiveness, and the twins' in particular. Sideros followed without further questioning, and I took to the rear of the line.

By the time we entered, I could hear the curses of a man groaning in the shop's storage rooms at the rear of the building. I saw Romphaia shake her head lowly, "Shut the hell up, Chrev! We don't need anymore visitors!"

We entered the back storeroom to find two Titans keeping guard, and a tall Hunter squirming on the ground in pain, favoring his left arm. One of the Titans was an Exo woman, who was too easily read as annoyed with the wounded man. The other Titan stood stoic and eerily quiet. He simply watched the group walk in and seemed as if deaf to the Hunter's cries of pain. The quiet Titan was a surprisingly large man, standing taller than Sideros and weighing much more than me. He was massive and extremely stocky, standing out the most in the squad of six.

The tall, wiry Hunter sitting on the floor continued to wince and cry out in agony, "Shut your trap, Romphaia. You weren't the one shot by a Marauder's rifle, were you?"

"I'm too good to get shot. Don't blame me for not being as dumb as you. You were an idiot to let your guard down, thinking the rumors about this place were true." Romphaia began to chuckle with a callous amusement. "Seeing you get shot was a little funny, though. A Hunter got hit with a rifle with medium range capability at best. Plus, I'm enjoying myself seeing you cry pathetically."

"What was the rumor?" Lukos asked half-way interested, still mesmerized with the twin Warlocks.

"Chrev heard that there was an old weapon lost here, and he absolutely had to find it. So being the fool he is, he came out here thinking he could spare the time and got shot by a Fallen Marauder. We came to assist him and we found ourselves ambushed and surrounded. Really stirred up a hornet's nest." Romphaia looked down on Chrev, disdain in her eyes.

"How do you know there wasn't a weapon here?" Lukos queried.

"I know a guy. Treasure hunter of sorts. He already scoured this place a few years back. Told me all he found was rubble and dirt." She turned toward Lukos, taking notice of his all too obvious attraction in her, and smirked, "But guys like Chrev don't know better." She eyed Lukos closely and turned away.

"Romphaia, let's move on," Machaira said. "There's no point dwelling on matters past. Thankfully, Chrev's wound wasn't fatal." She spun on her heel and faced us, "To finish the introductions, this is Chrev Romak, our other Hunter."

"And a clumsy, novice treasure hunter whose luck is a little questionable," Romphaia said with a laugh.

Chrev, still holding his left arm, dropped his head back on the wall, embarrassed and frustrated. Machaira began again, glaring at her sister, "Our Titans are Lonkhe Zerow and Keyla Evrah." Keyla nodded with acknowledgment. Lonkhe, on the other hand, still remained uncomfortably silent and inert. "Sorry, Lonkhe doesn't talk very much." Machaira furrowed her eyebrows, "May I ask your names, Guardians?" She looked us over curiously.

Sideros abruptly answered, "No need to draw this out any longer than need be. This is Fireteam Shachal. I am Commander Sideros, the officer in charge of this operation. Accompanying me are Tharsos Katenos and Lukos Chorvo. Kaeneth Atos and Selana Kaiah are inbound."

The group of six listened closely, and a handful of them acknowledged the Commander with, "Sir."

Sideros then asked Machaira, "What is your unit's name, Saia?"

"Nekosheth Squad, sir."


	11. Chapter 11: Formation

Chapter 11: Formation

Sideros studied our new acquaintances closely. He appeared concerned, but not so for the sake of the individuals we just met. I couldn't blame him for being frustrated. With half of the Guardians involved with the operation now shortly supplied, exhausted, and one wounded, we found ourselves at a potential disadvantage. Even we had possibly consumed too much of our ammunition in the fight earlier.

"Nekosheth?" Lukos asked.

"The team assigned to cooperate with us on the mission." Sideros snapped, irritated. Lukos watched as the Exo stormed out of the building's entrance, cursing under his breath. After Sideros disappeared from sight, Lukos subsequently turned to Nekosheth Squad.

"I assume you don't pay much attention to details," Chrev muttered through clenched teeth, looking up at Lukos.

"You're one to talk, treasure hunter," Lukos retorted.

The wounded Hunter found himself bested again and slumped. Romphaia, humored with Lukos' statement, laughed, careless to our current circumstances. "Chrev, why do you even open your mouth?" Romphaia turned to Lukos, a broad smile on her face. As the two shared laughs with each other, an exhausted Selana entered. She scanned the room patiently, taking notice of me standing in the shadows to her left last. She approached dazedly and stopped at my side, watching Chrev writhe on the ground.

"How are you feeling?" I asked with concern. She was still weary from the drop. With her utilizing her abilities as often as she already had, I could only imagine the strain on her body.

"I think I'm alright, Tharsos. Thank you. I'm almost recovered. I should be okay before the assault begins." She failed to fool me. Her exhaustion was still all too evident as she let out a long exhale. I gave Selana a short nod, playing the fool, and turned to the Guardians with us.

Chrev smiled at Selana, "She's pretty. Wanna help a lonely, hurt soldier out here, beautiful?" The man began to laugh lightly, but was cut short with the heavily armored woman, Keyla, kicking his arm. He let out a loud cry of pain, "What was that for, Keyla?!"

"Sorry, had a kink in my knee. Had to get it out." Aside from the humorous intention, Keyla's voice harbored a frightening severity. And Chrev knew that better than I could assume.

Machaira directed the clearing of her throat at Chrev.

He winced from Keyla's kick and looked at Selana, "Sorry, miss."

She disregarded his remarks and approached the wounded Guardian, intent on healing him. I laid my hand on her shoulder and shook my head.

"Thank you for looking out for me, Tharsos. But I'm sure I can manage." She comfortingly laid her hand on mine, which didn't retreat from her touch. "Tharsos, I'll be fine." Selana gave me a reassuring smile complemented with confident eyes. I hesitated, but removed my hand from her shoulder. I was worried, but I believed in her ability. As she turned away to aid the injured Guardian, I was left to contemplate that touch. The soothing feeling was unfamiliar for me.

Machaira put her hand up, "Don't worry, I'll heal him. Thank you for your eagerness."

"Yeah, why haven't you healed me, Machaira? You could've done that a long time ago," Chrev complained. Machaira ignored him and knelt at his side, getting to work, a soft light enveloping her hands.

"'Cause she enjoys your pain just as much as we do," Romphaia jeered. Machaira shot a glare of disdain at her sister, but Romphaia refused to refrain from insulting Chrev.

Keyla stepped away from Chrev's side and called the massive, silent Titan, "Come on, Lonkhe. Let's go outside. We could use some fresh air. And some peace and quiet." The huge man shifted at the edge of the room and grabbed a gigantic weapon, which to my surprise, was unnoticeable in the shadows. He hefted a mini-gun and tossed several belts of thick bullets over his shoulders. Lonkhe stepped forward and stopped in front of me. The towering Titan observed me but didn't speak, and left the room with heavy strides booming as he exited the building.

"That'll hold for now," Machaira stated. She examined Chrev's arm and stood, "You'll be fine for the duration of this mission." She sighed with a grin, "Just don't get shot again."

Romphaia rolled out laughing, this time Machaira joining in on the joke to an extent. Chrev sluggishly pulled himself up, his face red with embarrassment. He mumbled something about regretting joining the squad. Romphaia slowed her chuckles just enough to speak, "Come on, Chrev. Let's face it. You get shot a lot."

Lukos, too curious, joined the conversation, "What's your count?"

Chrev started to stretch his stiff arm, but dropped his head in the process. Even the twins fell silent waiting in relative excitement for Chrev to answer. He didn't look like he wanted to admit anything. But he crumbled, "This is the seventeenth gunshot."

Romphaia broke out again, "I'm sorry, Chrev, but I don't know whether you have good luck or bad luck." She turned toward us with the rest of her comment, "That only counts gunshots. He lost count with the other injuries."

Her laughs subsided and Chrev closed the subject, "Okay, that's enough about me. Let's get going. We have a mission to complete, right?"

"Chrev's right." Machaira's tone grew serious, "After you." She laid her hand out toward the doorway, offering for us to lead.

Selana, gradually recuperating, led the way, trailed by Lukos and me. The twins, Chrev, and Aksena followed us shortly after collecting their gear. The sunlight began to warm the air and the winds settled. Keyla and Lonkhe, both alert, stood to the right of the shop's entrance. Before us, Sideros and Kaeneth conversed with each other. I overheard Kaeneth mutter something about Chrev being on the overwatch team. Sideros was likely contemplating the teams' organization since his departure. Nekosheth joined us in front of the senior Guardians, and we waited for his orders.

Sideros began, "Shachal. Nekosheth. We cannot waste any time. Our window is closing. The infiltration, overwatch, and decoy teams must be formed immediately. Guardian Machaira Saia. Inform me of your team's focuses."

Machaira promptly responded, "Sir, I'm a Sunsinger, specializing in first aid and defense. My sister, Romphaia, on the other hand, is our Voidwalker. Our Hunter, Aksena, is a Blade Dancer and most skilled long range operative. Chrev is our Gunslinger. Keyla is our Striker and demolitionist. Our Defender, Lonkhe..." She turned to the mountain of a man at a lost for words, finishing with a stammer, "He does well with crowd control and heavy suppression support."

Sideros thought for a few moments, dismissing Machaira's closing uncertainties, "The overwatch team will be comprised of Atos, Timao, and Romak. You will provide the infiltration team with enemy positions and distant cover fire from three different locations in the cliffs and hills. Atos will be the team leader. Follow his orders unerringly." Sideros directed his last order at Aksena and Chrev with a terrifying tone. Aksena obediently and respectfully nodded at Sideros, but Chrev nervously acknowledged his order. The Exo continued, "Atos will assign you your respective positions. I will lead the decoy team. Romphaia Saia, Keyla Evrah, and Lonkhe Zerow will accompany me. Machaira Saia will join Katenos, Chorvo, and Kaiah in the infiltration team." Sideros paused as he looked the four of us over. When he resumed his order, he looked at me, "Katenos will lead the infiltration team."

The other Guardians grouped up into their respective teams, but Sideros' intense stare hadn't wavered since he ordered me to lead the infiltration team. As I turned to consult with my team, Sideros grabbed my bicep firmly, forcing me to turn to him, "Do not make me regret my decision, Katenos. Your mental stability is of concern. I witnessed what happened to you in Old Denver. This mission is vital and we cannot afford to fail. Make no mistake. If you jeopardize the success of this mission, I will personally kill you."

I stared into his fiery eyes defiantly, "If my stability is a threat, why place me in charge?"

Sideros removed his grip, but did not abandon his composure. Without answering me, he turned away and joined the rest of the decoy team. I studied the officer as he gave his orders to the decoy team, the infiltration team preparing themselves behind me.

"Everything alright?" I was surprised to see Selana at my side, looking up at me with her worrisome silver eyes.

"Yes. Everything's alright," I answered, prisoner to her capturing gaze. She found relief in my lie and she relaxed as we turned toward Lukos and Machaira. Sideros didn't threaten me, but I couldn't deny his skill. He had already proved his ferocity to be terrifying several times. Reflecting on his words, I wondered what his reasons were for placing me in charge of the infiltration team. I knew him well enough now to know that he was devoted to protecting the City and its inhabitants, but I felt as though he had his own motives for this mission. What they were? I couldn't say, but I would have to watch my back. I could potentially be facing threats on multiple fronts.

"Move out!" Sideros growled. Each of us set out at a run, racing for our respective battles, the overwatch team accompanying us for now. Sideros' team split from the group and headed for the Fallen supply depot, determined to mete out the Fallen holding the storehouse with heartless intent.

* * *

The battle waged to take the Fallen supply depot was effortless. Alien corpses littered the blood stained ground. Some of the creatures' faces still bore the horrified expressions of fear and panic. The four Guardians now stationed at the newly acquired bunker prepared for the second and, no doubt, more imposing Fallen assault. They could only afford a short amount of time before their imminent engagement.

Sideros surveyed the scarred and bloody battlefield. Though the hostiles were numerous, the firefight was short-lived for the Fallen occupants. His team confirmed every kill. Their execution couldn't be more satisfying. His confidence wasn't the same for the other two cells however. The overwatch team had a recently wounded soldier guiding and protecting the infiltration team. And as for the infiltration team, Tharsos would either fail to his rampages, or surmount the odds ahead of him. Whether or not he could achieve the latter was the harrowing question. The recovery of the potential data inside the Fallen base relied on the infiltration team's success, and Tharsos' success as a team leader more so.

Sideros found his thoughts interrupted when the titanic Lonkhe strode past him, Fallen bodies in tow. The silent warrior carried the bodies in hand and on his shoulder toward his teammate, Keyla. With what little free time the decoy team had, they took it upon themselves to scatter their felled opponents in a staggered formation around the storehouse's open perimeter. They kept several of the bodies untouched to prevent the incoming forces from noticing that the trap lying in wait. Keyla selected her explosives' placements swiftly but tactically as Lonkhe continued to position the bodies to her preferences. Romphaia quietly stood watch atop a nearby rooftop, prepared to warn the group of the enemy approach.

After making the necessary precautions with the help of Petros, standing by with the _Volframio_, Sideros tapped into a secure communication channel with the overwatch team, "Atos, status report."

Kaeneth responded promptly, _"All's quiet here, Kauson. Something ya' aren't going ta' enjoy soon. Not much movement, but a few o' them shifting posts and patrols. We're just waiting for your signal. How's it on your end?"_

"Under control," Sideros said as he attentively watched the plain the Fallen assault would likely come from.

_"Okay, Kauson. Good luck."_

Sideros closed the channel without a response and immediately contacted the _Volframio_, "Petros. Did you get confirmation?"

Petros chimed lately as if preoccupied with some task, _"Yes, Kauson. The FWC has confirmed that your team will be supplied with heavy artillery support. The unit should be arriving within the next half hour. I was also informed that the infiltration team will be provided with Dead Orbit air support, should it be necessary."_

"Were you informed of what unit types would be supplied?" Sideros asked in a hurry.

_"The best of course. Stingrays and Falcons respectively."_

Sideros knew that the mission demanded the best of the City's resources, but those units weren't utilized often. The expenses invested in the production of these vehicles were outrageous. But Sideros felt some relief knowing that the odds were now favoring them, "As you were, Petros."

The Exo returned to the matter at hand. He walked toward Keyla and Lonkhe with haste, "Evrah, are all of the explosives set?"

Keyla stood from her crouched position and faced the Exo Commander, "Yes, sir. Just finished. I'm looking forward to blowing those bastards to bits." Her raspy voice housed an eager desire for action as she checked her detonator and rifle.

"_Commander,_" Romphaia whispered into the team's private channel. _"We have visitors."_

Sideros turned to her perch to see her point toward the open prairie ahead of them. The group hushed their chatter and listened. Faint calls of Fallen battle cries slowly grew in intensity. Arduous, mechanical whirs could be heard as the force closed in on their overtaken outpost.

"Get into position, Guardians!" Sideros ordered. They all darted as a blistering hot slug of energy slammed into the building's wall behind them. Three Fallen tanks, Devil Walkers, appeared over the hills. Scores of Fallen soldiers accompanied them, wild and thirsty for the shedding of blood. "Hold them here! Mercy is dead to you!" With the command, Sideros also sent Kaeneth the signal, notifying him the battle commenced.

* * *

Kaeneth laid prone at the edge of the highest cliff with the most brush to place himself underneath. Not much consolation considering "Finger of God" wasn't a sniper rifle built for stealth. But he managed countless times with it in his hands. Fortunately, the sound delay confused his opponents' reactions. That is, those who hadn't been killed yet. Kaeneth patted his rifle like it was an old companion, recounting the memories he had in times past with the tool he relied on most. When he opened his eyes after a short musing, Kaeneth searched the cliffs to his right for Chrev's position, which was closest to the Fallen base. He worried about the wounded Hunter's efficiency despite being in his most comfortable sniping range. Kaeneth decided that he could help the young Guardian if he deemed it necessary. Aksena was perched to the hills at the plains' incline to Kaeneth's left. She had the greatest distance between her and the fortification, but the most difficult sight lines out of the three snipers in the overwatch team. Fortunately, she was a very skilled markswoman at extremely long ranges. She was far more alert and patient than Chrev as well, providing a beneficial strength in her current location.

Below Chrev, Kaeneth saw the infiltration team set behind a cluster of boulders, waiting for the signal to assault the base. Open plains with hardly any cover laid before them. The infiltration team was easily faced with the greatest danger. The journey to the Fallen base looked like a suicidal run for those who wouldn't dare cross those grasslands. Tharsos stood at the front, focused and prepared. Only Selana and Machaira accompanied him. Lukos, irrefutably the most stealthy Guardian present, was tasked with infiltrating the encampment from the weakly guarded wall once Tharsos, Selana, and Machaira penetrated the defenses at the opposing end of the fort.

Kaeneth was uneasy about their well being. He vowed to look after his juniors. They were too young to fall in battle. Determined to perform at his best, Kaeneth double checked "Finger of God" to be sure he was prepared for the impending firefight. His hands began to shake slightly as he fumbled with his weapon. Kaeneth dropped his head, disappointed that his age was catching up to him. He firmly caressed his shaking hand and controlled his breathing. Kaeneth murmured, "Damn, I wish I was in ma' prime right about now."

_"What're you mumbling about, old man?" _Chrev asked. Kaeneth realized that he didn't close his end of his team's channel when he spoke to Sideros just moments ago.

"Nothing, lad. It's nothing," Kaeneth exhaled.

Kaeneth then heard a droning alarm sound from his channel. Sideros' signal. The enemy reinforcements were now at the decoy team's frontlines. Everything was going according to plan. Kaeneth flared his fingers gripping his sniper rifle and flicked the safety switch. He took a deep breath as he lowered his eye to the powerful scope and placed his index finger next to the trigger. Kaeneth opened the channel to the overwatch and infiltration teams and cleared his throat, "Alright, kiddos. Time ta' ring the doorbell."


	12. Chapter 12: Infiltration

Chapter 12: Infiltration

Kaeneth pulled the trigger. The bullet fired from "Finger of God" splintered the atmosphere, leaving a vacuum of silence in its wake. Oblivious to his fate, the Fallen Vandal posted at the sentry tower fell headless, a colossal blood spatter splashing upon the surroundings simultaneously with the moment of death. A deafening crash sounded just a few moments afterward. Kaeneth's rifle roared like a savage beast as he continued to fire at the small army of Fallen stationed at the base. The distant sounds of gunfire echoed from Chrev's and Aksena's perches as well.

The Fallen began to move, now aware of an enemy attack, but remained unsure as to where the assassins concealed themselves. Kaeneth glanced to see Tharsos and his team sprinting through the wide open plain between them and the base. Selana and Machaira were at Tharsos' flanks, drawing up defensive barriers around the team. The nearest cover was the edge of the base itself. Kaeneth prayed that the two Warlocks would be able to sustain the shields for the duration of the run. For the time being, Kaeneth vowed that there wouldn't be many of the alien filth to greet the infiltration team. He set his eye to his rifle's scope and continued his onslaught. "Keep the pressure high, Aksena, Chrev," Kaeneth calmly ordered the other two members of his team as he sent his foes to the grave with incredible accuracy.

His command was met with obedient confirmations from both of them, the time intervals between the shots decreasing. Kaeneth smiled as the two other Hunters began to fire faster. Their passionate desire to succeed was evident as the roars of their rifles thundered throughout the plains. The thought sent a chill down Kaeneth's spine and with a newfound inspiration, vigor filled the veteran Guardian as his conscience abandoned fears of failure. The old man experienced an ecstasy he hadn't felt in ages, and finding the calm within the battle, Kaeneth relentlessly killed his foes. He left his team with one last command, "Pave the way."

* * *

"Lonkhe! Another wave of Raiders and Dregs!" Romphaia shouted. Without indication, the towering behemoth of a Titan spun around the corner of a wall with the barrel of his mini-gun whirling. The giant of a man stepped forward twice and braced. The storm of bullets ripping through the air screamed murder. Lonkhe rotated, fanning the destruction across the battlefield. The Fallen assaulters helplessly fell to the bloody soil as hundreds of rounds tore through their bodies. A handful of Dregs managed to creep around the shadows and charged after the Titan, daggers drawn. Even being so frail against the powerful soldier, the Fallen warriors fought ferociously. As they closed in on him, Lonkhe swung his heavy weapon, the bladed body of the mini-gun slashing deeply into their torsos; the bodies sent flying from the momentous force. The lone straggler vainly attempted to cut the gigantic man. Its demise was met with the powerful leg of Lonkhe brought down on its ribcage. The sound of breaking bones could hardly be heard beneath the battle's chaotic noise, but more felt underneath the heavy foot of Lonkhe. As if the Fallen who had just died were just annoying flies, Nekosheth's Titan progressed toward the oncoming foes, unleashing annihilation upon them.

Explosions were triggered as the largest clusters of Fallen crossed deployed traps, Keyla studying their movements and detonating the mines beneath them manually if necessary. The accompanying three Devil Walkers kept their distance for now, in hopes of the infantry clearing the battlefield of the Guardians holding the supply depot. Unfortunately, the team in charge of the diversion couldn't combat the enemy armor as the tanks fired high velocity slugs of energy at them. It seemed as though the Fallen couldn't care less for the materials and provisions being destroyed in the skirmish. Cover was becoming scarce quickly as the Fallen tanks leveled the outpost.

"Damn! Where the hell is the artillery unit?!" Keyla called out angrily.

"Only been ten minutes! ETA could be another twenty!" Romphaia yelled as she skidded behind a mound of rubble, changing her position.

Keyla vaulted the section of wall she set herself behind and swung the stock of her rifle into a Marauder's jaw, crushing the lower skull and neck of the alien. Gravity's influence swiftly took in the creature's disfigured body. Keyla stood over the Marauder, firing her rifle into the already disgusting face of the Fallen, laughing disturbingly.

"Conserve your ammunition, Evrah!" Sideros growled, whipping his forearm over the short wall defending him, firing his semi-automatic scout rifle, "Grim Omen", at the frenzied Fallen grunts charging after the four Guardians. He swiftly shifted his aim, dropping the approaching foes in sync with quick trigger pulls. His keen eyes discerned the caped figure of a Captain emerging from a cloud of smoke and dust. Patiently lining his shot, Sideros flicked a switch that energized an internal capacitor that fed electromagnetic rail technology within the weapon, causing the bullet inside to resonate with power. He let the charge build up for several seconds before he squeezed the trigger. A glowing slug accelerated at an incredible velocity, flashed and lit the billows of smoke enveloping his enemies. Before the Captain could lead his troops, his head exploded and disintegrated, wispy clouds of light emanating from his burning remains. Sideros dropped back down to the ground to let his rifle cool from the charged shot.

The Fallen soldiers, for the first time in the firefight, began to panic. The ones standing beside the slain Captain in particular. The dozens of remaining Fallen scattered in an attempt to assault the base from multiple wider fronts. "They're trying to surround us! Where's our support?!" Keyla shouted as she tore her combat knife from her current foe's neck.

Sideros began to worry that they would be faced against the three Devil Walkers without any armor of their own. He cursed the scenario and leapt over his defensive position, firing at the remaining Fallen soldiers. The infantry wasn't a threat. Their elimination was trivial at best, given the decoy team's current strength, but three Devil Walkers that were close in proximity was the pressing matter. Time was against them as the tanks continued to raze the Fallen depot to the ground, "Keep them at bay, Guardians! I will not have them retake this base!"

"No disrespect, sir, but even if there's going to be a base left, how do we keep those from taking it back?!" Romphaia yelled over the noise.

"Are you fearful? You disgrace the Guardians who have fallen before you!" Sideros barked, "Hold them!" The argument desisted between them and the four Guardians matched their aggression, relieving the aliens of their lives.

_"Sorry for being late to the party. ETA sixty seconds at the rear of your position behind the Fallen outpost. And we have a surprise for you. Meet you there, Commander Sideros."_

Sideros cocked his head to the side when he heard the unfamiliar voice contact him. But now wasn't the time to dawdle, "Zerow, take the center of the frontlines and suppress their approach. Evrah, cover the right flank! Saia, the left!" The Exo spun on his heel and raced toward the opposite end of the outpost, weaving throughout the maze of ruins and gunfire.

"Where the hell is he going?!" Keyla asked.

Romphaia replied over Lonkhe's deafening mini-gun, "I don't know! For now, just fight them off!"

"And he lectures me about dishonor," Keyla muttered under her breath, obliterating the straggling Fallen troops with cruel attacks.

Sideros consumed little time when he reached the end of the outpost, and was met with the sight of three armored vehicles. They silently hovered about five feet from the ground, the winged diamond shaped base casting a dark shadow beneath them, lit softly by the dozens of thrusters built on the belly of the tank. A powerful engine was set at the back of the tank, providing high velocity and acceleration. The height of the armored vehicle itself had a very low profile. A long cannon protruded from the top of it, optimizing the destructive power of the tungsten canisters fired from it.

The center Stingray's hatch opened up and out of the shadows, emerged an FWC artillery specialist, "Sorry for being late, sir. I can imagine you guys have been going through hell. So we brought you a present to make up for lost time." The driver laid his hand out to his left, "It's been on autopilot this whole time and needs an operator, sir." He smiled as he descended back into his tank and closed its hatch. Sideros studied the Stingrays shortly and started jogging toward the unmanned tank and leapt on the hull. The door responded to his transponder and automatically opened. He set himself in the pilot's seat and the hatch sealed. The Stingray came to life and Sideros flicked some switches, engaging the weapons systems and maximum speed threshold, "Three Devil Walkers are approximately two hundred feet ahead of the other end of the depot. You two form the right pincer. I will take the left. Maximize the gauss cannon power."

_"Yes, sir,"_ the FWC operators responded.

Sideros rotated his Stingray and shifted the accelerator, sending the tank off with surprising speed around the left side of the depot. The other two Stingrays hovered around the right side. In only a matter of a few seconds, Sideros found himself at the front of the battlefield, the gunfire having dwindled significantly. He accelerated the Stingray to the maximum, intent to meet the Devil Walkers head-on. The other two Stingrays followed closely behind. Sideros aimed at the nearest Devil Walker in the weapons system. The targeting box locked on and began to blink, indicating the cannon was ready to fire. The Devil Walkers fired their heavy rounds at Sideros, but with a slight shift of the accelerator, the Stingray strafed to the right. Taking advantage of the opening, Sideros pulled the trigger half a second after the Devil Walker cannon shot flew past his Stingray. The high velocity gauss slug swerved, seeking the Fallen tank. The round tore through the thick alloy protecting the Devil Walker, slamming into the grassland just behind the enemy armor. As Sideros continued to press the offensive, the Devil Walker he immobilized began to vehemently shake out of control, arcs of electricity and energy consuming the hull. By the time Sideros whipped around the rear of the remaining two tanks, the center tank exploded, resulting in a shockwave of shrapnel and fire. The other two Stingrays shifted to their left in front of the Devil Walkers, firing at the remaining tanks at close range, the explosions following shortly thereafter.

They turned back around the heaps of twisted, burning steel, piloting toward the Fallen depot. They slowed drastically at the edge of the outpost. The three Nekosheth members in the decoy team stepped out and approached the sleek tanks. Sideros exited the vehicle and jumped from the hull in front of them.

"Fight's over here. Time to assist the infiltration team," Romphaia exhaled forcefully, beginning to climb Sideros' Stingray.

Sideros remained still, "Stand down, Saia."

"What?" Romphaia asked with surprise and bewilderment. "Why not head to the other battlefield, sir?"

"I do not need you questioning my orders," Sideros glared at the woman. "Get off of the vehicle. We will hold our position."

Romphaia began to protest but was interrupted by a deep bellow, "Trust in our comrades, Romphaia. You lack faith in them." Lonkhe looked out toward the horizon veiling the infiltration team's objective, "They will succeed."

* * *

I raced forward, the only thing on my mind was reaching the edge of the Fallen base; an ironic haven. Machaira focused on the defensive training more than Selana had, but there was no telling how long they could maintain the energy shields, and the thought of being shot down without a fighting chance was disturbing me. The energy based rounds of the Vandals and Marauders were ricocheting off of the spherical faced shields merged around us with sparks and clashes. I anticipated the moment when the tempest of gunfire would break through and end our lives. The sprint felt like an eternity. All three of us panted heavily, having run as fast as we could through the great expanse of grasslands bridging the gap.

But fortunately, the distance was decreasing. I felt a slight sense of relief as the walls of the outermost buildings grew closer. A small consolation considering there was a small army of Fallen occupying the base, no doubt, furious with our attack. Even after reaching suitable cover, we wouldn't get time to breathe. Selana especially. At least Machaira's familiarity made her much more enduring when utilizing her primary focus. Selana balanced her Warlock training with offensive and support based focuses, thus hindering her endurance in any particular field. She trailed behind us slightly, the toll weighing on her more than it was Machaira.

Selana winced as she ran and gasped, "I can't sustain the shield much longer."

Machaira glanced at her sympathetically, "Withdraw your barrier, Selana. I'll compensate, but I won't be able to provide any defensive support once we get to the base. On my mark." We continued to sprint, waiting for her word, "Mark." Selana deactivated her shield and Machaira expanded hers. "Tharsos, let me take point," a quickly fatiguing Machaira struggled to say. I let her shift between Selana and me, providing an equal radius surrounding us.

We reached the last push when I tried to placate my team, "We're almost there." I picked up the pace, chasing for the edge desperately, my teammates barely keeping up. My muscles burned and ached as I pumped them, anxious to reach cover that still felt miles away. I knew Machaira couldn't support the shield for very long. We couldn't afford to stay out in the open any longer, or we would surely meet our ends. Thankfully, the overwatch team was providing suppressive fire from the cliffs, killing those that tried to eliminate us. Despite my circumstances, I felt some comfort knowing that Kaeneth was watching our backs. At the end of my thought we finally reached the wall of the nearest building. All three of us slammed into the thick wall, using it as a firm brace to lean against. Selana and Machaira slumped behind me. I stood against the wall, the corner just to my left. I snapped my head out shortly to determine where my enemies were, which only served as a target for their gunfire and I pulled myself back around the corner, Selana and Machaira now standing. Barely. Selana equipped "Death Sentence", her assault rifle, and tucked it against her shoulder tightly. Its glossy red and gold body glimmered in the sunlight. The compact rifle was hardly much larger than an SMG, and did wield the fire rate of one, but the power of an assault rifle. The longer range and accuracy would benefit our situation greatly.

I nodded at Selana, "Cover me. I'm making a run for it. Machaira, can you manage a Nova Bomb?"

Selana acknowledged my order and Machaira dropped her head, meditating on her status, "I think so, but it's not going to be at full power."

"I don't need power," I said as I slung "Hail of Fire." "I need you to throw it just ahead of my position. On the third count. Selana, I need Radiance. As much as you can manage." Both of the women contemplated the order and nodded. Selana cast Radiance on me solely, boosting my shields' strength.

"Mark," I whirled around the corner and ran down the short stretch of clearing, side stepping to dodge what I could from the enemy gunfire. _One_. Despite being able to avoid most of the shots, several rounds struck me, my shields slowly weakening._ Two_. I dove forward, rolling to my feet as I began to exit the stretch and into the base's center plaza. _Three. _With perfect timing, I felt the searing hot Nova Bomb fly over my head as I ducked and planted myself on the ground. Machaira's aim was true and the wide blast radius served as a sufficient diversion. Selana also attacked the enemies in sight. I heard the shrill fire rate of her assault rifle sound as she began to suppress their resistance. Still somewhat supported by Selana's Radiance, I charged into the midst of the purple flash of void flames. Once I reached the epicenter of the blast, I pivoted on my heel and shifted my movements to my right.

_"Just ahead o' ya', Tharsos." _Kaeneth called. _"Chrev, take down that Vandal above Selana and Machaira."_

I heard Chrev's distant sniper rifle fire when I encountered an unaware Raider. I uppercut the creature in the stomach before I immediately took hold of the alien's head and snapped it, twisting it nearly 180 degrees. Letting his body fall to the ground, I continued to run forward, deeper into the base. Ahead of me, I saw a short walled enclosure and I cleared its height, crashing into a Fallen Marauder. He howled as we scrambled on the ground. He had his dagger in hand, and to my surprise was putting up a good fight as he tried to stab upward at me. The alien's four arms fighting against my hold on him began to prove somewhat difficult. I rose for a split second and swept my elbow at his face in an arcing motion. The Marauder's head lurched to the side and his resistance weakened. Capitalizing on the moment, I snapped the alien's wrist and thrust the dagger into his skull. After falling limp, I pulled the dagger from his head, the Fallen's blood pouring from the gory opening. I slid to the section of the wall that provided the most cover from the Fallen still occupying the plaza surrounding me. I rolled to my side, and leaned upward, throwing the electrical dagger at the nearest Fallen. The blade stuck deeply in the chest of a Dreg and he fell to the ground clutching his torso.

The remaining Fallen roared, furious with the deaths of their brothers. They began to fire with vengeance at my position, leaving me pinned behind the wall and unable to fire back, "Lukos! Scale the wall!"

A shot rang out, followed by four small explosions. _"Already ahead of you, Tharsos,"_ Lukos said calmly over the team comm. I rose above the now short pile of rubble and saw the figure of Lukos on a railing at the other end of the base disappear, leaving the throat of a Vandal slit behind. Before I could observe any further, I stood amidst the ongoing battle with the Fallen occupants. The overwatch team continued to assassinate the Fallen foolish enough to expose themselves, creating a rhythmic tempo of sniper rifle gunfire. Selana and Machaira raced to the heart of the base, felling the inhabitants closest to them. I loosed "Hail of Fire" on my opponents as I ran for what I could only guess was the main building of the complex. The large facility stood four floors high and was as wide as the base was altogether. Desperate to avoid any further oncoming gunfire, I slammed my shoulder into the nearest door, removing it from its hinges. Knowing my enemies would easily follow, I quickened my pace with my LMG barrel up and at the ready, "Selana. Machaira. I'm in the largest structure of the complex. Hold the stragglers off outside. Lukos has also infiltrated the base of operations."

_"Affirmative,"_ Machaira replied.

_"Tharsos. Be careful,"_ Selana contacted me on a private channel.

I paused momentarily, surprised with her concern, _"_I will. Focus on your battle, Selana." I closed the channel after she acknowledged my order, and returned to the substantially large structure that hopefully housed our answers.

Stepping into the dimly lit hallway, I was left to roam the base, searching for any information that would make this operation worth the risk. My boots clacked on the tile floor and the sharp echoes carried without response. To my surprise, I wasn't confronted with any Fallen soldiers. The base was quiet. Empty. _Why?_ I convinced myself that it was too early to tell and remained wary as I continued to investigate the gloom that hung over the base. I began to wonder if Lukos was experiencing the same thing I was whenI heard a loud boom reverberate throughout the halls and immediately after, eight gunshots were fired, only to be followed by silence.

* * *

The stealthy Hunter climbed the jagged wall as soon as he heard the loud explosion of a Nova Bomb. With incredible finesse and utter silence, Lukos pulled himself over the wall's ledge to see a Fallen Vandal taking aim at Tharsos, who was currently sprinting for cover behind a small wall. Lukos primed the four Seekers Kaeneth gave him and tossed them into the air. The reddish glowing spheres floated toward the battlefield, homing in on the Fallen firing the most. Simultaneously, Lukos withdrew his karambit from underneath his left arm and crept up on the Vandal who was charging a shot, the long rifle in hand glowing from the buildup of energy. Lukos swiftly grabbed the Fallen's forehead and slit his throat, the curved blade leaving a deep gash in the Vandal's neck. The thick blood began to pour profusely and the Vandal fell to the ground.

_"Lukos! Scale the wall!"_ Tharsos ordered through the team channel.

Lukos smirked as he equipped his old sniper rifle, "Rude Awakening", and took aim. At the moment his Seekers found their targets, Lukos pulled the trigger, killing the Raider approaching Tharsos' position with a headshot, "Already ahead of you, Tharsos."

Lukos wasted no time and ran into the base, "Huckleberry" drawn. He activated the short wave EMP charge, the sensors on the device confirming that the enemy energy sources in the area were rendered useless. Content and keeping a steady hand, he stepped into the dark hall with his revolver extended, the laser sight now active. A distant crashing noise sounded from below. _Can't keep quiet?_ Lukos shook his head disappointedly, knowing Tharsos had just entered the complex's facility as well, likely alerting any foes lying in wait.

Patiently walking through the passages, Lukos came to a door that was left ajar. The first he had seen open as of yet. He looked inside to see what appeared to be a deactivated power source taking up the majority of the room's volume. Thick and heavy lines ran from the large device and ran throughout holes in the walls and the open door itself. The largest of which led to a door a few paces from Lukos. Leaving the control room behind, Lukos approached the doorway ahead of him. He stopped when he reached his destination, pressing his ear up against it, listening for any sign of enemy presence. Just before he concluded that the only noise he could hear was his shallow breathing, faint footsteps grew louder from within the room.

Just as Lukos stepped back, the door was slashed to pieces, the shards smoldering and singed as they fell to the floor. The surrounding wall crumbled and dust clouded the area as a massive Fallen emerged. Its heavy frame stepped toward the Hunter dazed on the floor. Lukos quickly recovered and rolled to his feet, and with extreme precision, opened fire on the Fallen giant. Each of the eight rounds in "Huckleberry" found their target, but the dense armor and powerful shields of the Fallen deflected the majority of the shots. The rest that struck flesh were shrugged off by the behemoth. Before Lukos could switch to his sniper rifle, he was struck down by the muscular arm of the large Fallen. Disoriented and now unarmed, Lukos attempted to rise to continue his fight, but was met with the blunt pommel of the Fallen's hilt striking him in the head, rendering him unconscious. Lukos was dragged away by the colossal Fallen's personal guard. The room the Fallen attacked from had but only two intact walls now, the outermost wall gaped open with a Fallen fighter in wait. The Hunter was tossed to the shuttle's floor and was bound by the creatures onboard.

The ship took flight at an amazing speed, leaving the battlefield behind. Lukos managed to regain a morsel of consciousness when he felt his body being lifted into the air. The huge Fallen held him by the neck and peered at him with four feral, yellow eyes. It brought Lukos closer to its face and grunted deeply. The stench was horrendously foul and Lukos gagged at the smell. The grip of the Fallen tightened around Lukos' neck as he awakened, causing him to cough as his airway closed. Lukos was surprised to hear the words the Fallen growled in a tongue foreign to it, "Sha...chal. Sid...e...ros. I finish...my...kills."


	13. Chapter 13: Leader

Chapter 13: Leader

The Fallen building rumbled as I sprinted through its halls. Heavy dust broke free from the walls and the ceiling, falling to the ground in thick deposits. I reached the top floor when the powerful vibrations slowly began to subside. The loud clashing of my boots hitting the floor could now be clearly heard. I skidded to a halt when a battered sniper rifle and large revolver impeded my path. I took but only a moment to observe the weapons before I entered the obliterated room to my right. I swept the room with my LMG at the ready, prepared for any hostiles to enter from the adjacent rooms. I scanned my surroundings hastily. Lukos was nowhere to be found. I looked out the gaping wall and studied the sky. I could distinguish the figure of a Fallen transport shuttle taking flight from the base. Time was of the essence. I turned around and walked outside the room. I stopped in the middle of the hall and observed the floor. "Huckleberry" lied still, "Rude Awakening" against the wall across from the room I just left. I picked up the revolver and released the cylinder's lock, snapping it to the side. Eight shell casings fell to the floor. I stood, slung my LMG, and retrieved Lukos' sniper rifle, and made my way out of the facility with Lukos' weapons in hand, confused with the Fallen's actions. Why did they abandon their base of operations? They had the forces to fend us off. But there was a mystery that confounded me more. Since when did they take prisoners? I had never known of a case where the Fallen took prisoners. They simply slaughter anyone associated with humanity without mercy.

I reached the building's exit and stepped outside still in thought. The sounds of gunfire were gone. The battle here was over. I looked up when I heard multiple people running my way. Kaeneth led Machaira, Aksena, and Chrev my way. Selana, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Selana?" I asked before they reached me.

"She went inside ta' find ya' and Lukos." Kaeneth stopped in front of me, "Ya' didn't see her?"

I began to speak, but was interrupted when the facility's double doors opened. We averted our attention to Selana stepping out with a look of frustration on her face. She noticed us and shared her irritation, starting with a sigh, "There was no data whatsoever. They must have either destroyed it or moved their communication center before we arrived. But what confuses me is how they would know their information was our primary objective. It would take much longer to wipe the data from the system after we initiated our assault, and with the EMP activated, they should have been cut off entirely. It feels as if they knew we would be coming." Selana paused and looked us over, "Is Lukos still inside?"

I could feel the eyes of the surrounding Guardians watching me, "Lukos is gone. I believe the Fallen here captured him and fled."

"Captured?" Kaeneth asked. "The Fallen don't take prisoners."

I responded, "I thought the same. But apparently these aren't your typical Fallen." I presented Lukos' weapons, "I found these and I saw a Fallen drop ship leaving the base."

"You think he's on that ship?" Machaira asked.

"It's the only lead we have." I turned to my teammate, "Selana. Is his transponder still active?"

Selana quickly caught onto my meaning and withdrew an electronic device from her belt. She tapped the screen and swept commands in a hurry before finally stopping, "Yes, it is. It's moving fast." She paused and bit her lip, "I would agree then, that he's likely on that ship."

Her words were followed by the quiet thrum of approaching vehicles. Three friendly tanks came into sight and entered the plaza through the widest opening of the complex. The formidable armor stopped just short of our position. The lead Stingray's hatch clicked open and the familiar sight of Sideros emerged from the pilot's seat. He leapt from atop the tank and landed in front of the vehicle. He scanned the base as he walked toward us. In his usual harsh and gruff mechanical voice, Sideros spoke, "The operation was a success? What intelligence did you retrieve?"

Selana glanced at me before she answered, "Nothing, sir. There wasn't any intel. And..." Selana trailed off and her statement began to harbor a fearful tone.

Sideros sounded annoyed with what she had already said, "And what?" He asked attentively, staring at Selana intensely.

I stepped between them and finished her thought, "Lukos is missing. I believe he is now in the clutches of the enemy."

Sideros stepped closer and glared down at me, "How did this happen, Katenos?" He spoke angrily and his hands clenched. The scraping of his steel fingers complemented his scornful words.

"We infiltrated the main building of the base at approximately the same time. He must have been overrun before we could link up."

Sideros replied after studying me for a short moment, "Petros. Bring in the _Volframio_. We are going back to the City." He turned his back to me and began walking toward the edge of the base.

"Sir, we should retrieve Lukos now," I said respectfully. But Sideros ignored me and continued toward the plain. "Sir," I said firmly. Again, the Exo Commander refused to answer.

Kaeneth placed his hand on my shoulder and pled, "Come now, lad. When he's like this, there's no getting through ta' him."

I pulled away from his grasp and yelled, "Sideros!" He stopped walking and turned. His menacing glare didn't pierce through me, which angered the Exo, causing him to bolt for my position. He was upon me in no time. The Guardians around me scattered several paces when the mountain of metal charged. Sideros threw a fast left hook, but I managed to duck as his arm swept over my head. I swung my right fist up to his chin. My blow struck him hard and I followed my counterattack with a flurry of strikes. But he was tireless and recovered quickly. He grabbed my forearm and threw me over his shoulder. I landed on my back several feet from his position. His pace housed no hesitation or pause. He stormed for me in rage and raised his closed hand. Before he brought his metal gauntlet down on me, I rolled and spun my leg behind his heel. Shifting my footing, I pushed from my foothold with everything I had and tackled Sideros. I could barely bring his ridiculously heavy body to the ground, but I couldn't do any damage from there. Sideros countered and absorbed the force, throwing me from the higher position. I regained my composure and rolled to my feet. Sideros calmly stood and ran for me again. A surprisingly swift torrent of punches were thrown by the Exo. I only managed to avoid some of the blows, but the majority of them struck me in the body.

"Kauson! Stop!" Kaeneth shouted trying to stop the fight.

"Stay the hell out of my way, Atos!" Sideros snapped at Kaeneth. When Sideros reverted his attention to me, he grabbed me by the neck and pinned me against the wall. The chaos of the conflict silenced and even the on-looking Guardians' breathing fell still. Sideros stared at me before growling furiously, "_I_ AM IN CHARGE! You are under my command! Not the inverse!"

The clear image of my surroundings faded and Sideros disappeared as my eyes closed. _Leaders share the fate of their followers._

* * *

"Son, you're a role model, whether you want to be or not. As Thureos' older brother, you better expect that he's going to look up to you. Therefore he's going to follow your example. Your actions will have an impact on him one way or another."

I sat in front of my father. Despite being lectured for getting into a fight with another kid, I could tell my father was as compassionate as ever. To him, punishment wasn't as effective as correction. And it was usually the case when he straightened Thureos or me out. But it was usually me, seeing as how I got us into trouble more times than Thureos did. After all, my brother did what I did.

My head hung low in shame as my dad talked to me, even though just a short while ago I was proud for beating another boy a little older than me senseless.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you stand up for your brother. That's good. I've always taught you to be strong for those that are weak. That's why the strong exist. But the problem here is your mentality on this fight with this other kid. For one, you were looking for an excuse to fight him, right?

I dropped my head even lower and confessed, "Yeah. I was tired of him thinking he was tough. I thought that if he picked on Thureos, I would have a reason to fight him."

"As long as he stays that way, that boy will always be a child. Even in manhood. But you need to elevate yourself. Be the better man. Now think about that for a minute. I'm not saying you don't care about him, but you used your brother as a means to an end. You sought out your desires at the expense of someone you care about. Think about what would've happened if Thureos was beaten up by that kid. Would the risk have been worth the outcome? What you need to do is learn to pick the battles that are worth fighting and avoid those that aren't worth fighting. Now if that kid started the fight and you couldn't prevent it, then that would be a different story." My father sighed and leaned back in his seat, "Did you gain anything from beating that boy, Tharsos?"

"No," I grumbled.

"Why not?" He asked, refusing to close the conversation until I understood every aspect of my mistake.

"Fighting what's weaker than you isn't strong," I answered, now looking into my father's eyes. "Sorry for getting Thureos in the middle of that fight."

He nodded slightly and continued, "It's okay as long as you've learned from your mistake, but I want to get back to my original point. Like Thureos, there are going to be other people who look up to you, son. They will depend on you, and it's going to be your responsibility to pave the way for them. Leadership isn't something you ask for. It's a duty that will take you by surprise. Not everyone is meant to be a leader, but I believe that those who are meant to be will know one day or another that they are. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I have faith that you will be one. And when that day comes, remember that a strong leader will share the fate of those who follow him. He must not think he stands on a pedestal higher than his followers. As a leader, he's just the first person to face the brunt of the force that's coming to those who follow him. Do you understand?" My father smiled after he finished and waited for my response.

"Yeah, I do," I said.

"Be a strong leader, Tharsos."

My father stood and I followed suit. I looked at him with clear eyes and spoke boldly, "Yes, sir."

* * *

The air was still and tense. Selana and the other bystanders watched the fight uneasily. Sideros had Tharsos pinned against the wall of the largest building firmly. Selana wanted to disrupt the conflict, but the battle was ruthless and Tharsos was pushed into submission. The war between the two soldiers drew to a close. Even so, Selana felt discomfort with the situation and was infuriated with herself for not acting at all. She was insecure with her abilities. At least when compared to Sideros. His capability was frightening and his ferocity even more so. Selana tried to speak, but no words came. Fear took hold of her when she watched the spectacle of fury.

Selana closed her eyes in recoil to Sideros' shout of anger directed at Tharsos. His body was somewhat limp when she heard him mumble something under his breath. Something she couldn't make out with him being so far away. Sideros cocked his head to the side when stamina returned to Tharsos. He regained his composure and lifted his head. The group of observing Guardians watched as nervously as ever.

Suddenly, Tharsos' body became engulfed in a strange blue fiery cloud of energy, and a familiar cry of pain and wrath rose in intensity. Tharsos' movements exploded and he grabbed Sideros' forearm and shoved it aside, immediately kneeing the Exo in the torso. Before Sideros could recover, Tharsos was already acting. Like a savage beast consumed by rage, Tharsos attacked Sideros relentlessly. Just like in Old Denver, his movements and actions were like that of an animal. When he was like this, Selana felt like he was someone else. It was hard to see him as Tharsos when his techniques were akin to a mindless monster.

Selana watched in horror as Tharsos unleashed a barrage of heavy and powerful punches infused with the terrifying energy upon the Exo Commander, who was currently lying on his back as Tharsos knelt above him, continuing his onslaught of strikes. Sideros barely managed to block a few of the blows, but most struck him in the face and body. Sideros' reactions began to slow as Tharsos' frenzy intensified.

Kaeneth's words were barely heard by Selana as she stared at the sight in terror, "Selana! We have ta' stop him before he kills Kauson!"

She snapped out of the trance when she saw Kaeneth and the accompanying Nekosheth members rush for the brawl. She raced for the fight as well, and as she ran, she could feel her heartbeat pound in her chest. Her body shuddered as she watched the other four Guardians attempt to restrain Tharsos. They struggled to keep a hold of him and he freed himself from their grips. Selana positioned herself between the two warring Guardians and put her hands out toward Tharsos. She pleaded for him to stop, but her words fell on deaf ears.

To her surprise, the other three members of Nekosheth arrived, and having witnessed the current scenario, also ran to the frantic Tharsos to help restrain him. As they made their swift approach, Tharsos swung violently and tossed Machaira and Aksena from their holds. Chrev backed away, favoring his injured arm, grimacing over the pain. Tharsos started for Sideros again, dragging Kaeneth behind, and didn't notice Selana in front of him. Lonkhe and Keyla grabbed his arms and pulled. Machaira and Aksena returned to their feet and pushed against the Titan.

"Stop, Tharsos!" Selana pleaded again on the verge of tears, hoping that by some chance, her words would calm him. At first they seemed to be like waves crashing against a sturdy cliff. But as she continued to beg for him to relax, his breathing slowed and his struggling stopped. Tharsos seemed to fall into a state of unconsciousness as he fell to his knees, his head hung low and still. The Guardians eased back and released him anxiously. Sideros had already stood back up and watched Tharsos calm down. He no longer seemed angry but more confounded, lost in his own thoughts over the chaos.

Shortly after, Tharsos took a deep, erratic breath, as if waking from a terrible nightmare, and his following exhalations were heavy and labored. He observed the surrounding Guardians with confusion. By the time he saw Sideros' battered body, the look of confusion dissipated and he lowered his gaze slowly. The next few moments were home to only the exhausted breathing of the company. Without a word, Tharsos rose and trudged over to a cluster of guns lying in the dust. He picked his and Lukos' weapons up and shook the deposits of dirt from them. After slinging the rifles, he walked toward Selana, carefully minding his posture. Her fear was easily discerned, so Tharsos spoke gently, "Forgive me. I didn't want to scare you." Selana, still hypnotized by the anxiety of the recent events, nodded. Tharsos continued, "I'm going to get him back. Even if I have to do it alone. Either way, I'm going to need to be able to track him." Tharsos laid his left hand out in front of her. Selana gazed at his open gauntlet. "Selana."

The sound of his voice caught her attention. He urged her to hand him the tracking device while he held Lukos' revolver in his right hand. Selana looked into Tharsos' visor, attempting to make eye contact, "I'm going with you." The terror she felt died down for some odd reason, and the confidence she had in Tharsos returned, "Care to lead?"

Tharsos didn't bother checking to be sure if she was prepared. He lowered his hand and turned toward the _Volframio_ sitting in the plain next to the base. Selana smiled to herself and followed him, her own confidence brimming.

"Trying to rescue Chorvo will only lead to your demise as well as his!" Sideros barked harshly.

Tharsos stopped walking. He turned to the Exo Commander still standing within the base's clearing, "If I die, I'll die at my comrade's side." The Titan began toward their ship again, leaving Sideros with nothing more than those words.

"The lad's got a point. I've always believed that there's been something missing from Shachal for a long time, Kauson. A fire is coming ta' life from long dead embers." Kaeneth hefted his sniper rifle and started jogging toward the _Volframio_.

Sideros was shocked when the Guardians around him started toward the ship. The Exo clenched his rifle tightly, "Return to the City." He turned toward the FWC operatives on the Stingrays, "The mission failed." The FWC pilots acknowledged his order and entered the tanks. The unmanned vehicle began to hover above the ground shortly thereafter, and the three Stingrays embarked toward their rendezvous point. Sideros observed the Guardians ahead of him and also made his way to the _Volframio_,"Petros. Lock on to Chorvo's position. We are pursuing his signal."

* * *

Lukos awoke to a throbbing headache. His knees sat upon sharp rocks and his hands were bound uncomfortably behind his back, as were his feet beneath him. Warm blood trickled down his face from his forehead. He had come in and out of consciousness several times. A concussion, perhaps. Despite his current pain, Lukos sat motionless on the carpet of stones. He simply listened. The massive Fallen leader stood several paces away with his back turned, conversing with a couple of Captains in a series of grunts and growls Lukos couldn't understand. One of the Captains hissed and turned his head to Lukos, glaring at him in disgust. The Fallen leader turned and observed Lukos before approaching and stopping in front of him. He began to chuckle deeply as he looked down on the helpless Guardian. The accompanying Captains followed and also began to cackle as they all spoke in their native tongue. The tone sounded sarcastic from what Lukos could tell. They were likely insulting him. Lukos lifted his head high and spat upon the Captain that took notice of his movements. The Captain growled in anger and cursed Lukos as he struck him with the back of his hand. Lukos laughed himself as he fell to his side. The enraged Captain began to kick Lukos while he was down, but was stopped short when the Fallen leader grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him to the ground behind. In an even deeper voice, the leader commanded his subordinate into submission.

"You know, it's not good to leave people waiting," Lukos began pulling himself back to his knees. "If you're going to kill me, you should just get it over with," Lukos smiled, baring bloody teeth. The leader peered down at Lukos quietly with his yellow eyes and growled lowly like a predator. He gave a short bark to his Captains and left the area. The Captains lingered for only a few moments before they also left, leaving Lukos alone, bound in a clearing surrounded by tall buildings and concealed hiding spots. Lukos leaned back on his heels and lowered his head with a smirk, content with his fate. The only thing Lukos could imagine the Fallen were up to was an ambush. They were wasting their time. He closed his eyes and waited for the them to lose patience and end his life. No one was coming.

* * *

"We're not going ta' have time ta' analyze the area Lukos is in. Ya' know that right, Tharsos?" Kaeneth spoke in his seat as he checked the magazine for "Finger of God."

"I know," I said as I stepped into the armory of the ship. Still in possession of Lukos' weapons, I decided to set "Make My Day" aside. Why I continued to carry it when I never mustered the nerve to use it still evaded me. But given the circumstances, my hands would be full with Lukos' firearms and "Hail of Fire". I looked into the cockpit as I placed my shotgun on the weapon rack next to the cargo hold's doorway. Sideros sat idly, silent since our departure. Petros hummed as he piloted the _Volframio_, as if careless to our current scenario. But Sideros didn't seem to mind. He appeared to be miles away as he sat in the copilot's seat. I turned back to the transport hold. Kaeneth and Selana sat on the port side seats nearest to me. Save Lonkhe, who was gripping a brace on the ceiling, Nekosheth sat on the starboard side seats. Some studied me with concerned eyes. Others simply stared into space.

"Shachal will retrieve Lukos. After pickup, we'll drop you off at the City's docks," I informed Nekosheth Squad, trying to appease their discomfort.

Every one of them looked at me with surprise. The dedicated, to-the-point Aksena, for the first time, spoke for the group, "We'll assist you with this rescue mission. You did, after all, help us earlier. We owe Shachal."

She gave me a firm nod, and from what I could infer, none of the other members were against her ruling. I gave her a short nod as well before seating myself at the port side seat closest to the ship's hatch. I leaned back and set the stock of my rifle on the metal floor and held it by the barrel. I rested my head on the seat and sighed. A long day full of unexpected events. My actions during my conflict with Sideros began to haunt me. How close was I to killing him? The look of fear and distrust from my teammates concerned me. Even though I had only experienced that brutish act twice, I already began to despise it. In the future, would I manage to retain control? Could I?

To my relief, Petros chimed in on the teams' general channels, allowing me to set my worries aside for now, _"Guardian Chorvo's signal has been immobile for the past fifteen minutes. We are closing in on his coordinates. ETA, five minutes. Or if you wouldn't mind hanging onto your seats, I could get us there in less than two."_ The cocky Ghost chuckled lightly and increased the _Volframio's_ acceleration, giving us little time to brace for the adjustment.

On queue, the shuttle slowed. Again, Petros didn't warn us, and decelerated as he veered the spacecraft to the surface._ "Don't be late. There are many hostile forces in the area. Get in and get out," _Petros urgently told us as he unlocked the hatch's seal. Each of us stood simultaneously and stepped to the rear of the cargo hold, our preferred weapons equipped and at the ready.

I turned and looked to the bow of the ship. Kaeneth stopped next to me and also examined the front of the ship, "I don't think he's coming, Tharsos." He frowned as he patted my shoulder and jumped off of the _Volframio. _I resigned myself to the fact that Sideros was going to sit this one out and left the vessel.

We touched down in a rundown residential district in a city's slums. Whatever battles occurred here were devastating. Many of the surrounding buildings and homes were severely damaged and hardly standing. Smashed vehicles littered the area. As Petros realigned the thrusters' rotation, the dust settled on the heavily cracked road picked up in a whirlwind, momentarily reducing our visibility. When the dust settled, I turned to Selana for a bearing. She was already ahead of me as she checked for Lukos' position. She turned to the north and placed her tracking device back in her belt.

"That way," she pointed toward some distant commercial buildings and subsequently equipped her assault rifle.

"Keep what Petros said in mind," I told the company of Guardians. "On me." I began toward the skyline at a steady run, leading Shachal and Nekosheth to the ruined city ahead that held our comrade captive.

* * *

At last, we had reached the large business district of the dead city. Fortunately, the time it took to reach it wasn't that long, and based on the readings from Selana's tracking device, Lukos was still in good condition.

I scanned the area ahead. A relatively wide open clearing lay before us. But with so much debris coating it, visuals were impaired beyond, "Selana, Kaeneth, we're going to take the high ground. Maybe we can find Lukos' position from there. Nekosheth, take cover inside and watch the ground level." The accompanying eight Guardians acknowledged and we entered the dilapidated structure. As Selana and Kaeneth tailed behind me, I found myself recalling memories of Old Denver. The familiarity of the area and this building in particular reminded me of when Thureos and I investigated Old Denver four years ago. The thought pulled me from the present as we eased our way up the rickety stairways to the upper floors.

"Tharsos? Are you alright?" Selana gently laid her hand on my arm as she passed me.

I realized that my lead slowed significantly as I remembered my haunting past. I didn't bother answering her and increased my speed, moving ahead of my teammates. By the time we reached a suitable position, the sight of the room we stepped into disturbed me. It was uncanny how much it resembled the room Thureos and I were in when we analyzed the clearing in Old Denver years ago. I slowed to a stop at the entrance, my rifle at my side. Selana and Kaeneth maneuvered around me and into the room, weapons shouldered. Having cleared the area, they lowered their weapons and approached the large window. A few shards of glass still clung to the sill and what had been loosed from its mount crunched beneath my teammates' boots. Kaeneth took notice of my reserved stature, "Are ya' sure ya're okay, lad?"

I shifted my attention from the window and looked at him, "I am." I walked toward the edge of the room and studied the clearing below and the large facilities ahead of our position. Selana pulled the tracking device from her belt yet again and checked for Lukos' position in relation to ours.

"He's not far. Less than a kilometer away." After she set the tracker aside, she sought for the area Lukos was with her own eyes. We examined the desolate cityscape, utilizing the magnification features built into our helmets' visors.

"Ah, I see enemy scouts ahead, kiddos," Kaeneth shifted his feet. "We're going ta' have ta' look out for Fallen on our way."

"Have you determined where Lukos is?" I asked, still scouring the dull, aged buildings.

"Nothing. He must be hidden behind these buildings we're looking at," Selana replied.

"Am I the only one smelling a trap?" Kaeneth asked, turning to me.

"No," I started to leave the room, desperate to put it behind me. "We're going to have to improvise quickly when we get out there." As I made my way down the stairs in haste, Kaeneth and Selana caught up shortly. The steps creaked and groaned as we made our way down to Nekosheth. We came upon the squad who was waiting patiently for our return.

"What did you find?" Romphaia asked, rising from her crouched position by the counter.

"Nothing. All we can assume is that an ambush is likely," Selana answered for me. "We'll have to be alert in that area."

"Form up. The Titans will cover the outside of the group," I said, mostly directed at Lonkhe and Keyla.

"Affirmative," Keyla said with her hoarse voice, tossing her rifle into the air and grabbing it by the grip. Lonkhe simply started for the exit ducking underneath the doorway and weaved his massive mini-gun through the opening. I also exited and we were followed by the Hunters and Warlocks taking to the center of the group. I took point and led my companions into the deep of the urban city.

Over the course of our trek, all of us had anxiously waited for an attack, but none came. I was positive we were being watched, but a small hope lingered. I prayed for the rescue to go smoothly. Aware of the fact that our previous battles put us at a disadvantage, I knew that we couldn't afford to get pinned down or suffer long firefights. We hardly had the energy or ammunition to suffice in a fight. Another reason for us to get Lukos immediately and make a run for extraction. I just hoped that we could manage with what we had until then.

We found ourselves just short of Lukos' position. The tall skyscrapers shaded our approach. The thick collection of buildings allowed little of the now diminishing sunlight to be cast on the ground. Nightfall was creeping in on us like a patient hunter. The Fallen were efficient fighters in the dark. Time was against us. We couldn't afford anymore handicaps.

"Stay together. We have to move quickly," I said without taking my attention from the clearing ahead. We could hardly see anything within it with one of the structures blocking most of our view, "Petros, get ready for a hot pickup."

_"Yes, Guardian Katenos. Just be sure to keep them from scuffing up the paint,"_ Petros left the channel as quickly as he came on.

I simply set out toward the open area only one city block ahead of us. My teammates followed suit without a need for a command. As we came around the corner and left the gargantuan shadow of the skyscraper and ran into the light of the setting sun, I could hardly make out the dark figure of Lukos sitting on his knees below a marble memorial. He was motionless as we raced onto the worn and weathered concrete that covered most of the area.

Lukos' head rose. He undoubtedly heard our collective of racing steps and cursed us as we ran to him, "What the hell are you doing, you idiots?!"

As we closed in on Lukos' position, countless howls echoed throughout the steel and concrete jungle. Before we could reach him, scores of Fallen warriors emerged from their dark dens and hidden nooks. I paid no heed to the hostiles that began to surround us. Some that were on the ground charged for us in fury, beginning to fire. The Guardians behind me needed no invitation to fire upon the waves of alien forces that started to suffocate our position. The deafening sounds of gunfire were loosed on our foes as I tore the bonds from Lukos' hands and feet.

Despite the Fallen beginning to back us into a corner, Lukos stood calmly and looked at me with derision. I tossed "Rude Awakening" and "Huckleberry" to him, which he caught with ease. He slung his sniper rifle around his back and kept his revolver in hand.

"Start shooting," I told him as I turned toward the oncoming hostiles. As I made my way to the frontlines, I hosed my LMG into the closest Fallen soldiers, fanning it slightly.

"Petros, we could use ya'!" Kaeneth yelled into the team's channel. He knelt on one knee and braced himself as he fired "Finger of God" through the lines of Fallen assailants, dispatching several per shot.

_"Head east, Guardians. Your impatience is rather annoying, if I might add,"_ Petros said over the noise.

"Move!" I shouted, beginning to run for a small street to our left. Fallen targets had already started to occupy the road ahead, but their forces weren't focused there. Lonkhe picked his pace up and ran ahead of the rest of us. He stopped and set his right leg back, bracing for the hell that was about to be set upon our foes. Only a fraction of a second passed before he unleashed the screaming rounds of his machine gun into the creatures barricading our escape route. Ribbons of flesh and showers of blood rained down on the opening ahead. A suitable signal for our escape. Like horizontal rain, a storm of enemy rounds chased us as we ran for our lives.

"Kaeneth! Lead the way! Lonkhe, Keyla! Cover their backs!" I commanded. Without indication, Nekosheth's two Titans stopped with me as the others ran ahead. We spun around and fired upon our pursuers. The resistance fell in waves as we backpedaled and eliminated our enemies. Synchronously, we turned again and tailed our teammates. They began to slow, several amethyst orbs of energy amassing. We pushed past our friendly line and six Nova Bombs were launched at the maniacal Fallen opponents, sending them to their deaths in a burning cloud of heat.

"Keep running!" Kaeneth called, tossing four Seekers up into the air. As we continued our desperate race to a still unseen _Volframio_, four explosions sounded behind us. The cries of the Fallen were drowned out by the bloodthirsty howls of the surviving warriors.

"Titans, again!" I whipped around and fired again at the malicious Fallen targets. As we pulled our triggers, the sleek, midnight blue ship flew over the sea of space pirates making chase. Our ship decelerated and descended, the thrusters still powered to make a hasty getaway. The Warlocks and Hunters in our group raced onboard as we covered them.

"Tharsos! Get on!" Selana called, whilst also erecting a barrier to cover us as we fled. We dove into the shuttle when our enemies closed the distance.

"Punch it, Petros!" Kaeneth ordered as Lonkhe, Keyla, and I rolled into the vessel. The Ghost took flight without even closing the rear hatch. The Fallen below continued to fire at us as the _Volframio_ ascended into the air.

Petros finally chirped as he pushed the acceleration to the maximum, _"Predator One, we are clear."_

_"Confirmed, Volframio."_

_ "Don't miss the show, Guardians,"_ Petros said to us humorously. We looked out the open hatch as two broad winged fighter ships soared into view from above the northern structures. As they came in over the street we just left, streams of missiles were fired from the incredibly fast aircraft. The barrage of explosions left in the Falcons' wake slaughtered the Fallen assaulters.

Several of the Guardians now in the safety of the _Volframio _removed their helmets, and began to cheer and let out exhausted laughs. Some simply smiled nervously over the sheer danger of the mission.

Lukos and I however, weren't thrilled over the recent events. He picked me out and approached, "Why did you go to the trouble to get me back?" His angered tone brought tension down on the atmosphere. His voice raised and his rage heightened, "I was prepared to die, but you damn fools decided to risk your lives for me. I didn't need your rescue!"

"Calm down, lad," Kaeneth suggested, standing up to face Lukos.

Lukos shoved Kaeneth back down to his seat, "Shut the hell up, old man!" Lukos began to shake his head. He lowered his voice, but the intensity of his words increased, "We aren't allies." I furrowed my eyebrow. He sounded as if we wasn't talking to anyone in particular. It seemed as if he was trying to convince himself with his statements. "I wouldn't have gone back for any of you." Lukos started to leave the room, but before he entered the armory, he stopped next to me, "I won't owe you long." I watched him as he walked out of the cargo hold and sat down at the workbench in the middle of the armory. For whatever reason, the man was still a mystery. I still didn't know why he was so hostile toward anyone affiliated with the City. The answer wouldn't come until he opened up. But it seemed as if the more time we worked together, he closed himself off more. Or rather he was separating himself from the rest of the team. I sat down and I relinquished myself to contemplate the day behind us.

Lukos remained silent for the duration of the flight back to the City. The argument brought an uneasy hush upon the ship. Sideros remained in the cockpit. Chrev, Machaira, and Romphaia retired themselves to a sleep on the floor and in their seats. Lonkhe stood as still as ever toward the bow of the cargo hold. Keyla and Aksena sat quietly next to each other, swaying as the shuttle flew toward our refuge. Kaeneth, after a short time, also went to the cockpit, leaving Selana seated next to me. Few words were spoken amongst anyone. I eased my head back on the headrest to notice Selana slumbering next to me. The allure of sleep was tempting as I sat in the calm of the cargo hold. I succumbed to the peaceful rest with the vibrations of the _Volframio's_ engines as the last of my memories for the flight. With that, I could escape the stress of today and days past for a short while.

* * *

"Tharsos, wake up," Kaeneth stood above me, nudging my arm. "We're home."

I leaned up and stood. I stretched my legs as I got to my feet, realizing I slept longer than I anticipated. Then again, it was a long day full of combat. I was the last to awaken. Nekosheth Squad had already taken their leave. Kaeneth stepped off of the Volframio, walking toward Sideros and Selana loitering in the dimly lit hangar.

I looked down at "Hail of Fire" sitting on the seat next to mine. I hesitated grabbing it, unsure if I should take it with me or leave it in the ship's armory. Making up my mind, I latched onto the receiver and walked toward the armory. Lukos stepped out and walked past me without acknowledging my presence. I ignored him and continued to the armory. I examined my shotgun mounted on the weapon rack, and locked my LMG next to it. I took but a short moment to observe them next to each other before leaving them behind. I reflected on the day when my brother and I stood next to each other as soldiers. Carrying my weapon with Thureos' bothered me. As far as I was concerned, I would never be worthy to wield my family's shotgun.

When I reached the middle of the cargo hold, Lukos stood between me and the ramp. "Tharsos..." He began to struggle finding the words.

"I don't want repayment," I told him plainly.

He stopped stumbling over his sentence and responded to my statement, "It doesn't matter if you want it or not. I was brought up to depend on myself solely. My..." Lukos corrected himself, "I'll live by my success and die by my mistakes. If someone disrupts that code, then I owe him. And that's exactly what you did."

"You'll be the only one keeping track of a nonexistent debt," I said as I walked past him. "If you pay for a debt that the debtor doesn't hold against you, how can you call it paid?"

"You're missing the point," Lukos objected.

"No, you are, Lukos." I faced him and spoke with a tone that demanded his attention, "As far as I'm concerned, you are a brother in arms. Whether you believe the same as I do doesn't matter to me. If you wouldn't do what I would, then that's up to you. But as for me, I'll fight and bleed at the side of my comrades. _That's_ the way I was brought up." My words weren't answered as I turned to leave the ship.

As I stepped into the hard light of the hangar, I was met with Selana's friendly voice, "How are you feeling, Tharsos? You slept longer than I did."

"I'm doing well. Thank you, Selana."

"It must be tiring being a leader," she said, spinning on her heel, walking next to me as I approached the previous Shachal members ahead of us.

The words took me aback and I continued at a calm pace my aching legs were comfortable with. "It must be tiring watching my back so much," I said without looking at her. She simply smiled in response to my remark.

We came upon Sideros and Kaeneth in the middle of a conversation regarding the mission. "So what will ya' tell the Council and Command?" Kaeneth asked Sideros.

"The only thing we can tell them. The mission was a failure." The two veterans took notice of us standing beside them. Sideros continued with our presence, "We retrieved no information on the Fallen unification and no intelligence on their leader."

"Speaking of Fallen leaders." We turned to see Lukos had, in his usual stealthy manner, already made his way to us, "There was one unusual individual that commanded the Fallen at that base. I ran into him when I infiltrated the main facility." We listened closely, save Sideros who seemed somewhat annoyed with Lukos' presence. Seeing as how Sideros was against Lukos' retrieval, it didn't surprise me that Sideros was avoiding the man we rescued. "He was huge. A tough bastard too. I thought he was a Captain, but he must have been more than that since he commanded the other Captains."

By this point, Sideros and Kaeneth had become interested, "Do ya' think he's their leader, Kauson?"

"Possibly an Admiral," Sideros muttered, looking back at Kaeneth, who squinted, contemplating the possibility.

"An Admiral? I thought the Fallen chain stopped at the Captains?" Selana queried.

"The Admirals usually don't fight on the battlefields. They command their forces from the safety of their Houses' mother ships. That's what makes this case unusual," Sideros informed us, lowering his gaze.

"Sideros," Lukos started. The Exo shot his eyes back up to the Hunter, "He mentioned Shachal. And he also mentioned you by name. He said something about finishing his kills."

Sideros silenced utterly and Kaeneth stopped breathing before he whispered, "Kauson. Do ya' think-?"

"Chorvo," Sideros interrupted Kaeneth's comment, "Describe this Fallen leader."

"Like I said, he was massive. Over eight feet tall easily. Maybe more like nine. He was very muscular for a Fallen. Made the others around him look like runts. He wore weathered black armor and a black cape with a red crest on it. His weapons were two large swords that heated up like coils rather than those that have electrical charges. He had blotchy skin and unlike the usual green Fallen eyes, he had yellow ones."

"Damn it..." Kaeneth muttered, his skin now white.

Sideros hadn't removed his eyes from Lukos as he profiled the Fallen leader. I had seen Sideros appear worried on a few occasions, but this was the first time he looked terrified. The Exo stood in front of us as if petrified from the mere description Lukos gave.

"What's wrong?" Selana asked, studying the veterans with concern.

An eerie silence befell us. Sideros finally broke it hesitantly, "If it is who I think it is, this Fallen nearly killed me fifteen years ago." Sideros removed several of the sturdy armor plates that were secured to his frame. A deep and wide slash trailed down his left arm and torso. The edges of the gash had a melted appearance on his metallic body.

"He also killed the other member of the first Fireteam Shachal. Our leader." Sideros' haunted gaze locked onto my eyes, "Your father, Thumos Katenos."


	14. Chapter 14: Trust

Chapter 14: Trust

Lukos sat idly in the plaza he had visited countless nights before. The twilight's ambience soothed him, but not enough for the unrest that he experienced a few days ago. Ever since Shachal and Nekosheth rescued him, his mind was plagued with questions. The most notable mysteries beginning with "why". Why rescue him when he had antagonized them so much? Why go back for him when he denied allegiance to the City and all of its inhabitants? Why risk lives for a man who wouldn't do the same? Lukos leaned back into the uncomfortable bench and looked up at what little of the night sky could be seen around the silhouette of the Traveler. He sighed and pulled himself up, his legs aching. He stretched before setting out into the mostly unoccupied streets of the trade district. Lukos thought about Tharsos' words at the hangar. He cursed the fact that he wasn't being held accountable for his mistakes. The darkly garbed Hunter shook his head and placed his hands in his pockets, proceeding to wander the poorly lit streets of the City.

* * *

I lied still on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I hadn't been able to sleep much since our return from the last mission. At one time, I thought Shachal would work well. But as of late, I had so many conflicting feelings on the matter. Sideros and Lukos concerned me the most. No, I was a factor as well. The three of us were always at each others' throats it seemed. My actions against Sideros continued to bother me. If the rest of Shachal and Nekosheth weren't there, would I have killed him? But aside from that, the thing on my mind most was the revelation of my father's past. He never told me what team he was in. Nor did he introduce me to any of his teammates. Then, I had wondered why, but dismissed it. Now I was faced with the same question. Maybe my father didn't want his militant life interfering with his family. Perhaps he didn't want Thureos or me to be a part of the military at all. The thought of that plausible truth disturbed me. After only thinking on it for a few short moments, I heard the buzzer at my door.

I leaned up and walked to my quarters' only entrance. I rubbed my face as I approached the intercom by the door, "Who is it?"

I didn't really want any visitors, but I was surprised to hear the voice that came in through the speaker, _"It's Selana. Are you busy?"_ I sighed and rested my head on my forearm. After my pause of deliberation, I decided to allow her entrance. I disengaged the lock and the heavy mechanized door slid into the wall.

As the dull metallic gray door shifted, I saw Selana's startled eyes snap up from her self inspection. It was the first time I had seen her outside of her uniform. Her features were even more stunning than I first thought. I didn't allow myself to look dumbfounded for long and I worked up the best smile I could, "Morning."

She smiled nervously, obviously embarrassed with my noticing of her self scrutiny, "Good morning, Tharsos. I wanted to talk to you. Is this a good time?"

"Sure. But not here. Give me a minute to get dressed." I made a half turn before facing Selana again, "Would you like to come in?"

She blinked and apprehensively replied, "Thank you. Yes." I stepped to the side and welcomed her to enter. She stepped inside the living quarters hesitantly and looked around the plain room.

I began to walk to the back of the small apartment, "Relax. Have a seat. I'll be back soon." Selana acknowledged my offer and sat down on the simple two seat couch by the wall perpendicular to the hallway I made my way through.

I returned to my room and dressed myself in comfortable casual clothes fitting to wear in public. We were still off duty, but I wasn't the kind to wear a simple muscle shirt and shorts out in public. After dressing accordingly, I stepped into the living room to see Selana examining her surroundings.

"Bland, I know," I said without her noticing me. "I was never much of a decorator. Just worried about the essentials."

Selana stood up and snapped to her side, facing me squarely. "It's fine," she said quickly, "I don't want you to think I-"

I stopped her midsentence, "It's okay, Selana. I know you're from a wealthy family. I'm not offended if you're not accustomed to these furnishings, because it doesn't really matter. This is my home." Those last words sounded awkward even for me. It never even felt like a home. I tried to move on from that as soon as I could, "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Selana replied, her voice now calmed from my reassurance. I allowed her to leave the room first as I locked my apartment behind us.

We stepped outside of the barracks and into the warmth of the sun. A gentle breeze swept throughout the area. The noise of conversation, play, and trade echoed comfortably around us. Selana and I walked at a slow pace out of the neighborhood, no words between us until I opened.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked Selana, still looking ahead.

Thinking I was going to get silence for an answer, I looked down to see her biting her lower lip, "I wanted to apologize."

"I don't remember you needing to apologize for anything," I answered.

"For falling short during that last operation," Selana said, now looking me in the eyes, her own relinquished of any confidence. "I could have very likely been the reason so much went wrong."

"Selana," I started.

"Please, Tharsos," she interrupted. Placating her for now, I stopped talking. "If I had gone in the base with you, maybe we could have infiltrated it faster and Lukos wouldn't have been captured. If none of that happened, then there wouldn't have been cause for your fight with Commander Sideros. I was weak, and I'm sorry."

I stopped walking and tenderly grabbed her arm, "Don't blame yourself for any of that, Selana. You had nothing to do with Lukos' capture or my fight with Sideros. The outcome of that day could have been different, but what happened is what happened. There's nothing we can do to change that before or after the fact."

She lowered her head and nodded.

"If anything, I'm the one that needs to apologize. I know that I scared you when I lost control," I paused, trying to find the words to settle her frustration. "That much was my fault. I'll try my best to avoid anything that will send me into a rampage... I don't want to frighten you again."

Selana looked up at me curiously. I wondered if she thought I didn't believe my own words, so I gave her the most reassuring smile I could, "Have you had breakfast yet?"

Selana's concerned expression faded, and she squinted at me, a smile forming on her face. "Tharsos, are you taking me out?" she asked suspiciously.

"Only if you haven't had breakfast," I joked with a chuckle.

"Then I haven't," Selana responded. She began walking ahead of me, a skip of excitement in her step, "Where are we going?"

I smirked, watching the attractive woman walk away. "Your pick," I called out as I walked after her.

* * *

Selana and I enjoyed the early meal. Or rather, the conversation more so than the food. It wasn't the best of courses, nor was it the worst, but the company seemed to be the delicacy of our morning. The warm breeze filled the commons of a small outdoor restaurant. I had been listening to Selana chat about her past for the past half hour easily. The cheer I beheld from her was unrivaled compared to any other time I had been in her presence. It was as if all other worries were non-existent. I found myself relishing in this peaceful experience. The thoughts that kept me up the last few nights were distant as I listened to Selana's enthralling voice full of joy tell me stories of her childhood and education. My story's lack of inclusion in the conversation was of no bother to me. I did my best to keep it out of our discussion, picking my words carefully so that Selana could only tell me more of herself.

"For as long as I can remember, your father has been the High Councilman of Osiris. How long has your family had influence in the Council?" I asked Selana.

"Believe it or not, it hasn't been very long. My grandfather was a common soldier at a time. He was a Warlock, like most people in my small family. He was most known for going into just about any battle conditions to rescue wounded or outnumbered Guardians. At first, he was scolded for disobeying orders, but eventually he came to be honored for saving so many Guardians from helpless situations. Afterward, he was offered the chance to be a part of the Council. He said that he would accept the offer, given he could finish his service as a soldier. But he never did. He died trying to rescue a fireteam caught behind enemy lines."

"Who was your grandfather?" I asked.

"Aurion Kaiah," Selana answered, "Before me, he was the last of my relatives who was a Guardian."

"Why? Didn't your parents serve?" I queried, studying Selana's expression of deep thought.

"No. Because of my grandfather's service, my father was privileged enough to begin working in the Osiris administration instead of serving as a Guardian. He was sick often anyway, so he couldn't afford to fight. He met my mother and convinced her to join him in the technological research division of Osiris instead of enlisting. Both of them were against me joining, but I looked up to my grandfather. When I was a little girl, he would tell me stories of heroes he knew personally. I romanticized about being a soldier like him. Eventually, my parents separated us, fearing his stories would ultimately send me into battle. On one hand, I was angry with them. I didn't even get to see my grandfather in his later years. But on the other, I know they were trying to protect me."

I leaned forward, interlocking my fingers on the small circular table, "I admire your respect for your parents. I haven't experienced it myself, but my father used to tell me that a parent's greatest pride is their children."

"I can see that in my parents. But there's more to it than that for the Awoken," Selana said, running her fingers across the table, her other hand tucked underneath her chin. "Awoken fertility isn't very high. Therefore, only about one in five Awoken mates actually have a child that makes it full term. You're looking at one of those children," Selana glanced at me with a matter-of-fact expression as she finished her statement.

"Why is the Awoken fertility so low?" I asked.

"I will speak to you in confidence, Tharsos. I haven't known you long, but I've known you long enough to know you are trustworthy. What I'm about to tell you is forbidden to be brought public by the laws of the Council. Aside from the Awoken, no one else is to know about this, save the officials themselves."

"Are you sure you want to confide in me?" I asked Selana, leaning back in my seat.

She stared at me momentarily before answering, "Yes, I do. I should at least start with this much. Do you know how the Awoken came into being?

I thought on her question for a moment, "As a matter of fact, no. I don't know."

"It doesn't surprise me. During the Golden Age, when the Traveler arrived, many of humanity's upper echelon scientists decided to station themselves beneath it for study. After a few years of analysis, a breakthrough was made. They discovered that whatever energy source was being utilized by the construct, could also be used by other organic or inorganic structures. To further their knowledge on the power that resided within it, several participants began to expose themselves to the closest source they could reach within the Traveler. After extensive exposure, the test subjects began to notice that they were able to harness the powers they were infusing their bodies with. Progress was being made, but it came at a cost. Their biological information was slowly being corrupted by the foreign energy, even after they left the testing grounds within the Traveler. Eventually, the people who had subjected themselves to the testing were no longer human, even though they still retained the same physiology. Soon realizing the side effects suffered were due to prolonged exposure, many officials decided that for others who wanted to harness the Traveler's energies must do so with limited constraints to reduce any significant biological changes. Even now, that is the protocol for all Guardians who are subjected to the Traveler's energies. I learned most of this from my education under the Seven Seraphs organization."

"So the Awoken were once human?" I said, my tone half statement, half question.  
"Yes, but because of the alterations in DNA, even the initial Awoken offspring were also affected by the alien radiation. That is why we have continued to exist. Every Awoken since has been born as such. Then, they didn't have a name for us. But now we are no longer seen as human. We have been labeled Awoken. And for a reason I can't agree with. The officials believe it's a state of progress, but it's the opposite."

"Care to explain?" I asked curiously.

"This is what's hard for me to talk about," Selana started hesitantly.

"If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to," I said.

"I've told you about the rest," Selana turned her head to her side, now resting her elbows on the table. "I should finish."

Before Selana could continue, Kaeneth pulled the chair out next to us and sat down, "Sorry for interrupting, kiddos. I came ta' tell ya' Shachal's being called for a debrief shortly. We should go ta' the FOTC HQ soon."

I merely looked at our comrade before turning back to Selana, who frowned before forcing a smile, "We can finish this another time, Tharsos. Let's go."

"Ah, ya' two were on a date, now, weren't ya?" Kaeneth asked, looking back and forth between Selana and me. "I'm terribly sorry."

"Don't worry, Kaeneth," Selana told him, "Let's go get this debrief started."

"Thank ya', Selana, but if I had known, I wouldn't have come yet," Kaeneth stood up and left ahead of us, shaking his head in embarrassment as he exited the restaurant.

Selana and I stood simultaneously and made our way to the exit as well. Selana quietly led us, and our latest discussion left me wondering. What was she wanting to tell me that bothered her so much? Perhaps, the biggest surprise was her trust in me. I didn't know why she did. Maybe that was the question I needed answered more than her background on the Awoken. For now, we had business to attend to. I would have to wait for the day when Selana and I could continue our conversation. Maybe then, I would have some answers.

* * *

The ordinary debrief room was silent, save the electrical hum of the lights in the ceiling. Sideros stood motionless in front of the FOTC Command's generals, who were quietly flipping through their files, both physical and digital, before them.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit down, Commander Sideros?" Eythan Dunatos, Supreme General of the FOTC, asked without removing his eyes from his papers.

"Exo do not rest, General," Sideros stated plainly to the first in command.

General Dunatos, also an Exo, chuckled, "Are you insinuating something, Commander?"

"Whether I make an insinuation or not is trivial. What matters is if you can relate to the fact," Sideros answered boldly.

"I can only imagine that at some point in time, we fought beside each other. Neither of us would remember, but as for this life, it seems I was supposed to be a leader away from the battlefield. But it does not make my service in either life any less trivial."

"Leader?" Sideros asked in offense.

Eythan Dunatos simply locked eyes with Sideros, "Battles are not only fought in the field, Sideros. Despite your hostility toward my position, I do respect you. I hope one day, you can respect me like you would have when I was a soldier."

"I cannot promise that day will come," Sideros replied.

"I know you can't. Keep in mind, I am an Exo as well. I understand you better than you may realize," Eythan closed the conversation and began examining the documents in front of him again.

Sideros didn't necessarily respect the FOTC Command, but he could tolerate them much more than the High Council. At least the FOTC's officers were admirable soldiers at one point in time, even if one of them was a retired Exo. Sideros resumed his silence and rigid posture.

"Will your team be late, Commander?" Brigadier General Tipharah Khaza asked. She was a tough human woman. Potentially the most feared woman in the FOTC. She talked to the imposing Exo like she was a giant compared to him.  
"No. They have been contacted and are en route," Sideros responded.

"Good," Tipharah said with a fearless and dismissive tone.

Shortly after, Lukos stepped into the room and walked toward Sideros, stopping next to him. Sideros shifted his gaze to Lukos who simply stood next to him. Not a word. Not a look. He was even standing somewhat straight. Sideros reverted his attention ahead, studying the generals in their seats.

"And this is..." Lieutenant General Hadarah Doxa trailed off, waiting for a response.

"Lukos Chorvo," Sideros answered, "Fireteam Shachal's Hunter."

"Ah, I see," she said, gazing at Lukos attentively. Hadarah was a flirt, but she was a beautiful human woman, despite being in her forties. She was also very talented as well. Becoming the third in command was no easy task. Because of her abilities, she climbed through the ranks quickly. She winked at Lukos and watched him tense up.

"The rest of Fireteam Shachal will be here shortly," Major General Elpizo Pistos informed them, "I just received a report from the lobby that they arrived not long ago." Elpizo always spoke lightly, but his skill as a Warlock was legendary. Some say he's been the most powerful to exist, but he hadn't used his abilities in so long. The Awoken man bore a grim expression everywhere he went. Rumor had it that he was so powerful, the Warlock energies wore his body out much faster than other Warlocks. It wouldn't be hard to believe, considering how feeble he looked many times. That, and he was an Awoken.

It didn't take long for the rest of Shachal to arrive. Kaeneth was followed by Selana and me and we lined up next to Sideros and Lukos. "Welcome, Fireteam Shachal," Eythan started, "We will make this quick. The FOTC in particular, needs to know the details on your previous mission. You need to detail everything of significance that occurred during the operation." Eythan looked at his second in command, General Thusio Qorban, a human warrior worthy of more respect than most, "Send them in." Thusio confirmed and flicked the device in front of him. Shortly after he set the device down, a group of familiar Guardians entered the room. The six members of Nekosheth Squad lined up next to us with a small gap between our two teams.

"Welcome, Nekosheth Squad. For further corroboration and detail, you and Fireteam Shachal will both give your debriefs simultaneously," Eythan explained, "Let us begin."

"Just to set the record straight, was the mission a success?" Thusio asked, his voice intimidating.

"Negative. The mission was a failure," Sideros replied. "Teams Shachal and Nekosheth both eliminated enemy hostiles, but no data was retrieved. Based on their findings, Fallen escaped with any relevant information before we could recover it. Neither did we find any signs of the Dead Orbit reconnaissance team. I conclude that they were killed in action."

"Explain how the Fallen would have had time to escape with precious data if they knew nothing of the operation," Tipharah queried.

"I can only assume that the Fallen detection equipment must have picked up on the Dead Orbit scouts' communication channels. Ours had the highest security available. Breaking through the frequency would be virtually impossible. To my knowledge, the Dead Orbit team did not have the same luxury." Sideros continued answering for the rest of the group, "If the Fallen broke through the security firewalls of the Dead Orbit team's communication devices, then they could have known of our mission."

"Why didn't the Fallen take measures to prevent your assault? Surely you must have thought of this as well," Eythan questioned.

"I did," Sideros began, "I assume they were overconfident."

"That's it?" Eythan asked, eyeing Sideros closely.

"Yes," Sideros responded.

"Does Nekosheth Squad confirm these findings?" Hadarah asked, looking across the line of Guardians to the left of Shachal.

Machaira answered for the group, "Nekosheth Squad does, ma'am."

A handful of the FOTC generals nodded to themselves.

"Any complications?" Thusio asked, making eye contact with each of us, analyzing our reactions closely.

Sideros answered quickly, taking care to the possible implications of anyone else's response, "None. Aside from the failed acquisition of data, the mission did not have any complications." Lukos gulped, but refrained from shifting his eyes. Correcting his body language prevented the generals' suspicion from growing.

A silence fell on the room as the generals studied us in front of them. Fortunately, they were satisfied with Sideros' reply.

"Thank you for your participation in this debrief, Guardians. It is unfortunate that the mission did not result in the retrieval of any further information regarding the Fallen unification. It's early to tell, but since your return, there has been no Fallen activity. Worst case scenario, they are resuming their plans in silence. We can only hope that we can find another lead on them before their supposed assault. We will keep you informed. You are dismissed."

In cadence, we left the room and set out to exit the FOTC HQ, and when we reached the exterior of the facility, Nekosheth dispersed without a word. It was no surprise that many of them were still exhausted from the mission. Lukos dragged his feet as he stepped out of the headquarters' entrance. He dropped his boots heavily and descended the steps. When he reached the bottom of the stairway, Selana and I approached him.

"Lukos," Selana said with a polite smile.

Lukos simply tossed a short nod to her and spun slowly on his feet taking in his surroundings.

"Listen closely. All of you." Sideros' heavy frame descended down the flight of stairs as he spoke, Kaeneth following at his side, "There is no telling how long it will take before the FOTC or City administrations find any conclusive information on the Fallen or their location. Time is of the essence. If they do plan on attacking the City within the year, you need to be ready for it. The Fallen will not wait. Prepare yourselves accordingly. Become a stronger, more efficient team so that when they do attack, or when you attack, you will be ready to succeed."

"Why didn't you tell them about my capture?" Lukos interrupted Sideros.

"Because that is none of their concern. Know this. Everything that I did not mention to them is Shachal's responsibility." For the first time, Sideros didn't act or speak with despise toward Lukos, "My recommendation includes you, Chorvo. You are a member of Fireteam Shachal."

Lukos dropped his gaze, and without a word, turned and walked away.

"I'll see what I can do, Kauson," Kaeneth told Sideros, following Lukos.

"No. Leave him," Sideros answered Kaeneth, who frowned as he looked back at Lukos. "I do want to talk to you, Katenos. Tharsos."

I stepped forward, "You also left our conflict out of the debrief. Like you said, it's our responsibility to settle what wasn't included in the meeting. So I want to apologize for my actions."

Sideros shook his head, "I do not want your apology. It allowed me to notice something about you."

"What?" I asked, curious to Sideros' meaning.

"You are like him. Your father. You are meant to be in charge of this fireteam, Katenos. Like he was."

"I wouldn't say I'm cut out to be Shachal's leader," I responded.

"Your father would not agree with you," Sideros said blatantly. "I knew the man. He spoke fondly of his sons. He had faith in you then. He would have had the same faith in you today, if he were here. Do not tarnish his confidence in you with your lack of confidence in yourself." Sideros paused awkwardly and swiftly left the area, leaving us behind.

Kaeneth stepped in front of Selana and me and examined Sideros walking away, "He would never tell ya' himself, but that's Kauson's way o' saying he has faith in ya' too. I agree with him, though, Tharsos. Ya're Shachal's leader now." Kaeneth's mouth curled into the iconic crooked grin I had seen several times before, "I"ll leave ya' two ta' yourselves, now." Kaeneth also set off to his own destination, leaving Selana and me alone.

I tightened my jaw, reflecting on the words of my seniors, "What do you think, Selana?"

"I have faith in you, Tharsos. But you need to have faith in yourself. Your strength as a leader will inspire people to follow you. But that strength will only be seen by others if you see it in yourself first."

"Spoken like my father would say," I murmured. Many of my doubts about the team began to dissipate, but my doubts about myself were ever more haunting. I didn't know if I would ever be as confident in myself as my team was in me. But it was apparent that three of my allies did trust me. There was one, however, that I wasn't so sure about. Perhaps, one day, both of us could trust each other on and off of the battlefield. Only time would tell if we would ever come to a common ground and mutual goal.


	15. Chapter 15: Time

Chapter 15: Time

Their silence couldn't be rivaled by even their still surroundings. Their breaths were drowned out by their careful obedience to the jungle's natural ambience. The pathetically small Cabal patrol had no clue that their every action was being watched in the outpost overtaken by the dense jungle. Over the course of time, vegetation had crept in and devoured the outpost. The dull colored concrete and steel were covered and wrapped tightly with colorful vines and overgrowth. Were it not for the eroded geometrical form of the outpost, it would hardly be noticed. The Cabal argued amongst themselves as they continued their patrol, lurching with heavy strides and stepping over weathered concrete as they investigated the area. The watchmen each, with wary footsteps, closed in on the oblivious creatures like patient hunters home to the forest shrouding their presence. The jungle's thick vegetation provided substantial camouflage for Lukos as he eased down on the ground and peered through his sniper rifle's scope.

"Hey, wanna have some fun?" Lukos whispered.

_"Might as well. I'm getting tired o' waiting,"_ Kaeneth responded through Lukos' new helmet's speakers.

"Alright, what do you think of this? We have six Legionnaires here. Whoever kills the most with the fewest number of shots wins," Lukos explained as he studied his targets' movements.

Kaeneth sighed, contemplating the offer.

"Are you scared, old man?" Lukos provoked Kaeneth, urging him to make his mind up.

_"Okay, lad. I'm not what I used ta' be, but I'll give it ma' best shot,"_ Kaeneth responded.

Lukos chuckled, "Good. Time to show the old man up." He took aim, searching for his shot. The Cabal soldiers trudged through the rubble slowly, perpendicular to Lukos' aim. But Lukos was patient and bided his time, waiting for his opening. After an extensive wait, two Legionnaires turned to their left to investigate the short path parallel with Lukos' line of sight. Lukos smirked, easing his finger over the trigger. He exhaled deeply and held his breath. When the two Cabals' heads overlapped, Lukos pulled the trigger. The rear Cabal fell lifeless atop his dead comrade behind a mound of rubble covered in brush.

The shot sounded the starting of the competition and the remaining four Cabal turned in shock, trying to determine where the gunfire came from. Their grunts were panicked as they studied their surroundings futilely. They were prey among predators. One Cabal jogged slowly down the street where Lukos made his kills. He laughed under his breath aiming for his next target. Lukos fired again, hitting the Cabal at the base of the skull underneath his helmet. Confident, Lukos began aiming for the remaining three who were running about in frustration, "You better hurry, old man. You haven't even made a kill."

Lukos wasn't met with a response, and as he lowered his eye to his scope, he saw a small red orb hovering near one of the Cabal. He furrowed his eyebrow and shifted his sights to the other Cabal. The same orbs floated near them as well. Lukos realized what was about to happen, but before he could react, a terribly loud noise shook the air as it echoed throughout the husk of an outpost. He couldn't even see what occurred but all three of the Cabal fell to the ground at the same time, motionless and undoubtedly dead.

"What the hell was that?!" Lukos asked with surprise.

_"I'm not what I used ta' be, but I won't lose anytime soon, lad,"_ Kaeneth replied with a victorious laugh. _"So what was that? Ya' made three kills with two bullets, and I got three with one."_

Lukos pushed himself up and grabbed his rifle by the receiver. He walked out of the brush he was hiding beneath and approached the bodies of the Cabal patrol. Lukos shook his head and noticed Kaeneth coming down from the thicket ahead. Kaeneth stopped in front of his nearest kill and placed his foot on top of the Cabal's torso. His targets' entire heads were missing, or rather completely obliterated.

"Guess I win," Kaeneth said, a crooked grin on his face.

"How exactly did you do that?" Lukos asked as he examined their enemies' corpses.

Kaeneth tossed a handful of Seekers into the air.

"Grenades?" Lukos queried.

"I designed them ta' generate a powerful magnetic force field that would repel incoming projectiles," Kaeneth explained.

"You damn bastard. For a minute I thought you used localized explosions to kill them, but you ricocheted the gunshot," Lukos muttered.

"Aye, I did. Ya' didn't say anything about using rifles only," Kaeneth retorted with a smile. "Don't worry, boy. Ya're still early ta' challenge me. Maybe one day I'll teach ya'."

Lukos smirked and chuckled, "One day I'll beat you, old man. I promise you that."

"I look forward ta' it, Lukos. I'll hold ya' ta' your promise."

Lukos nodded, "Let's get back to the City. Target practice is done for today."

"Aye, let's go," Kaeneth agreed. "I wonder how Tharsos and Selana are doing."

* * *

A flash of light soared over my head as I dove from my footing and shortly after an explosion sounded just behind me. I recovered my composure and stood with a staggered stance, prepared for the next torrent of attacks. And just as I expected, several flew my way, I sidestepped and sprinted toward the source, flaring my fingers as I prepared for my counter. I maneuvered myself carefully to avoid the blasts of energy bearing down on me. I could feel them pass me as my back and shoulders registered sensations of the swiftly passing and searing hot energy. I would soon reach the source of the attacks. The bolts subsided and I dodged the final one, confident I had found my opening.

To my surprise, another barrage of blasts rained down on me. There wasn't any other choice. I dropped to one knee as I stretched my hands outward and forced a large output of energy from my open gauntlets. A spherical field organized from hexagonal plates of energy hummed with a comforting resonance with my body at its center. The surface sparked with small golden electrical arcs that dissipated shortly after breaking away from the shield. I was enveloped in a compounded series of explosions, but I was safe in the protective dome that I projected just in time. I stood from my crouched position and peered through the billows of smoke wrapped around my shield. Content with the silence, I refused the shield any further sustenance and the sphere degenerated as it dissipated outwardly, the clouds of smoke also beginning to clear up gradually.

A silhouette was hardly seen in the furthest remaining clouds of smoke and dust. It descended from the sky and gracefully landed on the scarred earth and walked toward me at a calm pace, the thick smoke suffocating the image of the figure. I also began my approach toward the figure, tensely prepared for what may come. I stopped short of the settling billows of smoke and waited to see the face of my opponent emerge from them.

A lightly armored soldier appeared before me, a black duster gently flapped in the wind, the blue and dark green armor now glistening in the sunlight breaking through the clouds overhead. I watched as the soldier removed the helmet clasped to her body armor.

"You did well, Selana," I said as I removed my own helmet, holding it at my side. "You're getting stronger with your Voidwalker focus."

Selana tossed her head to the side as she untied her hair, "Thank you, Tharsos. As are you with the Defender training."

I chuckled, "I'd be more comfortable with more experience."

"You have come exceptionally far with what little time you have been training your Ward shield."

"That so?" I grinned.

"It is. You didn't master it as quickly as I did, but..." Selana shrugged with a wide smile.

"Are you mocking me?" I joked.

Selana snickered herself and reeled over, "No! No, I'm not. You're doing well, Tharsos."

"Again, thank you for teaching me," I said.

"You're welcome. Anytime," Selana winked, turning toward our newly issued Sparrows.

"I'll keep that in mind," I said as I ignited my Sparrow's engine, watching Selana as she mounted hers in front of me.

She smiled at me and revved her engine, "I'll race you to the City."

"What do I get out of it?" I asked.

"Patience, Tharsos. Patience." She tied her hair up and placed her helmet back on, "You won't win anyway."

"Okay," I chuckled as I placed my own helmet back on.

"You just have to give me what I want," she said.

My next words were overpowered by the scream of her Sparrow taking off, dust picking up from the blistering hot thrusters propelling her vehicle and reducing my visibility. I sighed with a grin on my face as I took off after Selana, the sun setting behind golden clouds at our backs. We raced after the City, now shrouded in the coming night's darkness, another day behind us. Another night approaching.

* * *

Upon our arrival, we were met at one of the gates of the Wall. The checkpoint was polluted with noise and the guards' bustling night shift. But fortunately we weren't delayed at the Wall, and were allowed entrance with a prompt response. The straight road that branched from the heart of the City was quiet and empty as we drove toward the Tower. Selana still kept her lead, ever refusing to give it up to me. She laughed often during our trek back to the City, relishing in her victory. She slowed as we reached the edge of the City itself and matched my speed after letting me catch up.

"Beat you," Selana teased.

"Yes, you did. Do you want to tell me what you want from me now?" I asked, looking over at her to my left.

"I told you. Patience," she laughed.

I shook my head in defeat. We continued our journey to the Tower, our vehicles making short work of the drive. We drove through a garage at the base of the Tower, only a few dozen other occupied Sparrows were temporarily being housed there. I couldn't tell whether the Guardians here were arriving or leaving since they were merely parked in scattered lots. I ignored them and eased my way to one of the cargo elevators ahead. Selana and I stopped in a wide and empty lift. Selana accessed the terminal for clearance and momentarily we waited as the system processed the information. The floor jerked as the locks disengaged and the elevator ascended through the Tower. The pace was slow and conversation would be our only source to pass the time.

"How long has it been since we rescued Lukos?" Selana murmured just loud enough for me to hear over the gears and pulleys taking us to our ship's hangar. She stared into space after she asked.

"Almost six months," I said plainly.

"Six months. According to the time schedule, the Fallen are bound to attack in about six months at most," Selana noted, looking over to me as I got off of my Sparrow.

"We'll find a lead before that happens," I assured her. "Now isn't the time to be losing faith," I paused at the bow of my vehicle, concerned with the situation myself. But I couldn't afford to have Selana worried about it. I didn't believe in giving people false hopes, but I also didn't believe in giving them none at all.

"Do you really believe that, Tharsos?" Selana asked, her chin buried into her chest.

I walked over to her side and rested my hand on her slender shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. She frowned as she looked up at me but eventually relinquished herself of the circumstances at hand and smiled as she dropped her head, "Lukos warming up at all?"

"Some," I said, now leaning on my Sparrow with my arms crossed. "He's still very distant about some things though. I have the impression that he still holds himself accountable for what happened six months ago."

Selana nodded slowly, "One day, I think he'll come around. More than likely he'll open up to you."

"You think? He and Kaeneth are getting closer. Maybe Lukos thinks dealing with Kaeneth is simpler than any of us. Myself included."

"Yes, he has opened up to Kaeneth some, but that's not what I mean," Selana replied.

"Then what do you mean?" I asked, relaxing myself.

"I have this strange feeling that you two have more in common with each other than you realize. I could be wrong, but Lukos acts differently when he's around you," Selana responded. "If I'm right, when the day comes that he approaches you, you'll realize that you'll be the only one who can reach him."

I laughed under my breath, "I'll welcome the day that he and I can resolve our problems with each other. But you must realize that I'm highly doubtful."

"I do," Selana began, turning to me, "But now isn't the time to be losing faith."

I lowered my gaze to the floor, thinking of the difficulties Shachal had faced. No doubt we had matured as a team significantly since the mission in the plains, but I still worried about Lukos in particular. Even though Sideros was absent the majority of the time now, I was even more confident with the team's relationship with him than I was with Lukos' membership. Selana was right though, and I know my father would have said something along the same lines.

I nodded at Selana indirectly. The lift stopped and locked in place, the heavy doors sheathing open as I looked over to our exit. I got back on my Sparrow and started it up again. Selana followed suit and we steered our vehicles into the _Volframio's_ hangar. Only a handful of lights hanging from the high ceiling dimly illuminated the bay. It was sufficient though, as the lights' glares reflected on the many metallic surfaces of the room. I parked my Sparrow near the rear hatch of our team's ship and got off. Selana parked hers next to mine and got off and stretched. Her elegance was even noticeable as she twirled her limbs around to relieve herself of discomfort. I had stopped before I reached the exit and didn't realize I had been staring at her as she approached me.

She noticed my attentiveness and peered at me, "What were you looking at?"

I smirked and pointed behind her, "Your parking."

Selana spun around and looked at the Sparrow. "What's wrong with my parking?" she asked with a frown on her face.

"Never mind," I shook my head. "After you," I offered as I waited at the open door of the hangar's main entrance.

Selana accepted it and led the way to the closest of the Tower's many primary elevators. I followed her and closed the door, a loud crashing noise echoing from inside.

"What was that?" Selana asked, turning around.

"Nothing," I smiled, hoping the flight techs would be able to pick her Sparrow up tomorrow morning.

"Want me to walk you home?" Selana asked.

"I don't think so," I said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I don't know how you'll manage if I'll be walking you home," I answered.

"Oh, I see," Selana said with a smirk.

"Is that fine?" I asked.

"Yes," Selana responded. "Perfectly fine."

"Alright. Lead the way. I don't know where you live," I laughed. I was given a playful push and we enjoyed each other's company as we made our way down to the entrance lobby and to Selana's home.

* * *

The course of our walk was tranquil and quiet. I assumed Selana took a longer route than necessary for this particular reason as I noticed us winding through the same roads multiple times and weaving around buildings distant from our intended destination. But I couldn't care less. Selana's company was more than welcome. Admittedly, I felt odd walking around public in the night still wearing my armor, but Selana and I shared the predicament equally, so I dismissed the awkward sensation. Our appearances were shrouded in the darkness of the Traveler's shadow as well, so my worries diminished.

"We haven't talked much about your family, Tharsos. Would you mind telling me about them?" Selana asked, minding her words carefully, knowing full well what had happened to my father.

I hesitated. I didn't openly discuss what happened to my family with anyone. I realized the silence between us was growing to a sense of awkward tension. "I don't really talk about them," I said.

"I don't want you to feel pressured," Selana replied, her tone giving up on the subject.

"You know about my father," I sighed, fearing the sting of the rest of the story. "My mother died after labor. I didn't really get to know her."

"I'm sorry, Tharsos. She died after your birth?"

"My brother's. She was severely ill before and during the procedure. It had weakened Thureos as well. The doctors could only manage to save one of them, given the circumstances. And my mother, being the stubborn woman she was, refused to accept treatment. She told the doctor to save my brother when she gave birth, and they did. She managed to hang onto what little life she had left to see that Thureos was born. I was told that she did get to see him, but she died shortly after," I recalled the story my father had told me about her final moments. "I was four when she passed."

"What was her name?" Selana asked.

"Rayah."

"A beautiful and strong name," Selana said with compassion.

"Just how my father described her," I said. "He used to go on and on about her when I was younger. He talked about how gorgeous she was. About how hard-headed she was."

"I'm sure he loved her very much," Selana spoke calmly.

"He did. Her death was always difficult for him to deal with though. He could never come to peace with the fact. She was in a battle he couldn't save her from..." I trailed off in thought, remembering the sorrow I had witnessed my father fall into many times in the past.

"And what about your brother?" Selana asked.

I silenced at the question and tried to speak, but nothing came to me. I couldn't muster the nerve to discuss my brother's fate or my part in it, "Another time."

Selana acknowledged my request and dismissed the topic. "This is me," she said with a drawn out sigh. An extravagant mansion was housed in a lush plot, surrounded by a finely decorated brick wall. Rich green grass shimmered before the palace's intensely bright porch lights. A sturdy gate separated Selana's home from the street and guards could be seen on watch around the property. Selana strolled to the access terminal and began to input a code to allow her admittance.

"You never told me what you wanted," I mentioned.

Selana paused at the terminal and turned.

"For the race," I specified.

Selana bit her lip and stepped toward me, "Do I need to say it?"

"I think so," I said as we stepped toward each other.

Selana eased her head up, appearing as if she was going to whisper to me. She leaned toward me slowly when I felt her smooth lips meet mine. I couldn't withdraw. I didn't want to. My dormant desire surfaced and I affectionately embraced the strikingly beautiful woman in my arms and kissed her back. The soft touch of her warm skin gave me chills as I held her so closely. My heart raced and I welcomed the sensation of time stopping. Something I'd gladly give to allow me to enjoy this ecstasy more, even if it was just another moment. Captivated by the experience, I barely noticed Selana caressing my face underneath veiled moonlight. Time hadn't slowed enough for me as we separated, but it was a moment that I would never forget. Selana gasped with delight and laughed lightly, resting her hands on my shoulders. Her hands slid down to mine, squeezing them tenderly with a soothing touch. She stepped backward, her silver star-like eyes capturing me with their heavenly gaze. She stepped back again, her outstretched hands letting go of mine, leaving me standing outside of her home's sanctuary.

She turned away, breaking the enthralling gaze briefly. She looked back at me as the gate closed behind her and smiled, "Good night, Tharsos."

I whispered to her, my still pounding heart just beginning to calm, "Good night." I watched her until she went inside, and then I took my leave, my thoughts lost exclusively to the night's events. As I reflected on what just happened, I found myself smiling uncontrollably at the thought. I couldn't help myself. It felt so foreign and strange to me but I welcomed it openly. The feeling of peace and comfort was something I had long forgotten. Being so close to someone was nothing but a distant memory. Until now. Tonight was the furthest of my expectations, yet here I was. The fears of my past, present, and future were absent entirely, and at the moment I was more than content with it. My heart raced as I thought of Selana. Was I to embrace this? This new beginning. The answer was becoming clear to me as I envisioned what I had always wanted and what was now within my grasp.


	16. Chapter 16: Satellite

Chapter 16: Satellite

"How do you think you'll fare?" Lukos asked Kaeneth at the _Volframio's_ workbench.

"What do ya' mean?" Kaeneth asked with a small grin while sharpening his throwing knives.

"Did I not hear correctly that this is a close quarters mission?"  
Kaeneth nodded slowly, "Ya' heard right, lad. This is a tight quartered locale. What about it?"

"I don't think I've seen you fight up close before. Can you handle this mission?" Lukos asked, partly curious about the veteran's experience in CQC.

"Can I?" Kaeneth chuckled. "Can ya' handle it, Lukos?"

"Of course. I've had plenty of experience fighting at close range," Lukos replied with a proud smile of his own.

"That's not ma' meaning," Kaeneth said, now looking Lukos in the eye. "Can ya' handle me covering your ass?"

Lukos laughed, "I doubt you'll have the time to watch my back, old man. You'll be too busy trying to fend your share off. But don't worry. I'll help you out if I think you need it. I can be courteous and compassionate at times."

"Ah, someone's quite sure o' himself," Kaeneth smirked. "Are ya' sure ya' want ta' test me? Ya' do know who ya're picking a fight with, right?"

"A feeble aged soldier out of his prime. And a test? I'm not even expecting a challenge," Lukos retorted with a glint of competition in his confident gaze.

Kaeneth's laughter bounced around amidst the inner hull of the _Volframio_, "Well, look's like we'll have a show o' skill, then. I look forward ta' hearing your testimony ta' ma' victory and your defeat afterward."

Lukos nodded in response to the Scot's acknowledging of his challenge and outstretched his hand. Kaeneth took hold of it and shook it firmly with his iconic smile pasted on his wrinkled face, "I hope your sidearm can keep up." Subsequently, Kaeneth withdrew two identical pistols from their holsters strapped to his thighs and placed them on the magnetic table in a symmetrical orientation. Long magazines extended from the comfortable, contoured grips of the black and silver weapons and Lukos noticed a dial with three settings on each of the receivers as well. He glanced up to see Kaeneth grinning confidently, "Talons. Ya're welcome ta' sit here and gaze upon them in awe if ya' want."

Lukos slowly began to snicker quietly but eventually burst into laughter, "Are you serious, Kaeneth? 'In awe' you say. These pea shooters couldn't even stand next to 'Huckleberry'."

Kaeneth merely smiled in silence at the young Hunter as he hysterically laughed before him, "Ya' know what, Lukos? Ya're right. These wouldn't stand next ta' your wee revolver. They'll stand taller at the end o' this op. That I guarantee ya', lad." He stood up and grabbed the pistols and placed them back in their snug holsters, dual tones of modest gray and rich black glares dancing in the light of the armory as he did so.

"Alright. You've crossed the line now," Lukos said, pursing his lips. "No rifles. Pistols and blades only."

"Ah, knives, too? Ya' intend ta' make this easier for me, don't ya'?" Kaeneth chuckled, now sheathing his stone gray throwing knives.

"I'll acknowledge that you're likely very skilled with those pistols," Lukos' grin faded and his voice hardened. "But one thing I know for sure is you haven't seen a blade wielder like me yet, old man. That I guarantee you."

Kaeneth was somewhat shocked at Lukos' statement. Those last words weren't part of some game. His voice harbored no anger or cockiness either. But pure confidence. Kaeneth directed a firm nod in gesture of respect to Lukos and then lightly laughed, "Well, I must say I'm excited ta' tackle this mission. How about ya'?"

"Thrilled," Lukos said with a small smile and calm, deep eyes. They sat in relative silence for a while longer as they cleaned and ran maintenance on their arsenals. Shortly afterward, they both grabbed a bite to eat from the ship's stores and waited to reach their destination.

* * *

I didn't even realize I was tired enough to fall asleep when we departed from the City. But from the sound of the mission's length and objectives, I welcomed the fact that I was able to grab another few hours of rest before we got started. I doubted I would get much more after we reached the drop zone. With Sideros' absence since the assault on the Fallen base over six months ago, I was a little nervous with taking on such an operation without him present. Even though we had come to terms with each other, the memory of my attack on Sideros still stuck with me. And despite that incident, I still vastly respected his capabilities and experience. At the moment, it felt as if our team's strength suffered with his leave.

Kaeneth still tagged along though. When we asked about him being in a fireteam of his own, he would tell us he was like a reserve Guardian of sorts. He didn't have anywhere to be other than where he was requested or ordered. I wondered on many occasions about his life outside of his service, but he never discussed it. He simply joined Shachal on virtually all of our operations to aid and assist. According to him, anyway. Personally, I felt like he was keeping an eye on us. Looking out for us, more specifically, which I didn't mind, but I felt as if there was more to it. The last conversation I had with Sideros made me wonder if he purposely assigned Kaeneth to assist us when he felt uncomfortable about the risk or contents of the mission at hand. Even though Sideros wasn't with us on our missions, I had this feeling that he was still using everything at his disposal to support us with our duties when he felt it was necessary. It was a small consolation, but I still couldn't help but feel like Shachal was weaker than when he was present.

Perhaps I didn't give my team enough credit. Over six months had passed now, and we as a team grew and matured. It was Sideros' order after all, to prepare ourselves for the Fallen campaign. For a time, I convinced myself that I needed more training, but eventually I began to think about my brother, and even myself. The unspoken rule that we learned in the Academy and even in battle. No matter how much work you put into training yourself, you could never be fully prepared for what could come. I nearly forgot that, but began to instruct myself with that piece of wisdom in mind. I couldn't afford to train myself indefinitely. War was upon us, and it wasn't going to wait for me to be prepared for it. At some point or another, I'd have to face it whether I was ready enough or not. A relative matter when I thought about it. I don't know if I could ever be ready enough. As time went on, I became more content with the fact that I was as prepared as I could be when push came to shove. A strange sense of peace comforted me when I reflected on this. I began to think that maybe I was right; I wasn't giving my team due credit. Or myself for that matter. We weren't idly sitting around these past six months. I knew that each of us toiled with blood and sweat to equip ourselves with strengths and skills we knew were required to combat the intended Fallen genocide. Sideros wasn't here. But Shachal wasn't weak. If it ever was, it definitely wasn't now. When I looked at each of my teammates, I could see something different in their eyes. Strength. Confidence. Trust. And when I thought about these attributes, it gave me chills of confidence and hope as well. We were strong. We were ready. And we weren't waiting for our enemies. Rather, we were setting out to meet them head on.

These thoughts solidified my heart like it was armor and equipped my resolve with a sword of knowing my team and I were strong. I sat quietly in the passenger hold, dwelling on these truths to myself as I had done several times in the recent weeks.

I glanced to the armory where I heard indistinguishable conversation between Lukos and Kaeneth. For a moment, I continued to rest in my seat comfortably, but then I wondered how much time exactly passed since our departure and shot up to my feet and walked to the armory where I saw the two Hunters casually talking about the vague details of the mission to themselves. Both acknowledged my presence in their own ways as I passed them by on my to the cockpit.

When I entered, I saw Petros' unpredictable lights of gray and white flicker, wax, and wane in the dark room. He rotated to glance at me for a short second before turning back to his duty as acting pilot, "Hello, Guardian Katenos. Sleep well?"

"Call me Tharsos, Petros. And I did. I worry I've had too much, actually," I responded after an unexpected yawn dulled my words.

"Ridiculous, Guardian Katenos. Perhaps, you've had too little," Petros replied without slowing his commands. "I slept for fifteen years and still feel exhausted."

I chuckled lightly at his statement, "You don't appear tired."

"I assure you that running so many processes simultaneously is no simple task, Guardian Katenos," Petros chimed lowly, something I would guess was the equivalent of a sigh.

"Tharsos," I said.

"Right, Guardian Katenos," Petros answered.

I shook my head in defeat and glanced down to the copilot seat in front of me. Selana slept soundly in the chair rotated nearly ninety degrees to its left. I couldn't even hear her breathing beneath the soft beeps and whirs of Petros' digital commands. I reached down to her face and carefully brushed a lock of her pale hair behind her ear. She stirred slightly when Petros broke the silence, "She's been sleeping nearly as long as you had." I glanced at him to see the Ghost hadn't moved and proceeded to continue inputting commands and pilot the _Volframio._ "Everyone sleeps and I work perpetually as they do, it seems," Petros muttered. "But she needs it, considering how much work she puts into this vessel and team as well. After all, being a Warlock isn't easy, especially for Awoken."

I stared at the Ghost quizzically, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean exactly what I said. It isn't easy for Awoken to be Warlocks, let alone Guardians," Petros replied with a short, matter-of-fact tone.

"Care to explain?" I asked, although said almost like a command.

Petros paused for a while before he responded, "I cannot give you specifics, Guardian Katenos. Please excuse my late comments."

"Why can't you clarify?" I asked impatiently.

"You lack the clearance," the Ghost said with haste. "I cannot help that fact. Just accept my denial, Guardian Katenos."

I didn't care to continue the discussion. Simply standing in place, I contemplated Petros' potentially careless words regarding the Awoken. I gazed upon the peacefully resting Selana as I grew concerned. The most our team knew of our relationship was Kaeneth stumbling on our late breakfast several weeks ago. We both agreed that it was best to keep it separate from our duties as Guardians, and especially from our team. But I started to wonder what was being kept from me as Petros' comments regarding the Awoken plagued my private thoughts.

I stared at the tranquil woman lying in front of me, a mess of confusion haunting my mind. Then Shachal's Ghost interrupted the _Volframio's_ silence over its speakers, _"Guardians. ETA, five minutes. If I were you, I would locate your firearms and helmets and prepare for deployment."_ I glanced at him now locking into the port between the pilot and copilot seats, "Wake Ms. Kaiah, Guardian Katenos."

Even though I was worried, I didn't want to disturb her slumber, but I had no choice and complied, gently nudging her shoulder. After only a couple of seconds, she quietly came to and looked up at me. Her lips formed a small smile as she looked into my eyes. "We're almost there," I told her with the same gesture, hiding my concerns.

Selana adjusted her posture in her seat and turned to Petros in his dock, "Sorry for making you do all of the work, Petros. I know how much you don't like it."

"It's of no importance, Ms. Kaiah. No need for an apology," the Ghost said in an understandingly dismissive manner.

She stood up and walked by my still figure, "Are you okay?"

I faced her and lied, "Yes, just been waiting for you to wake up."

Selana accepted my answer and we entered the armory where Lukos and Kaeneth just placed their helmets over their heads, the locks on each engaging subsequently.

"Hurry up, you two," Lukos said as he placed his revolver into its holster and strapped a belt full of its ammunition around his waist. "Or we claim all rights to the spoils." Kaeneth laughed in response to Lukos' impatience and turned to his weapon rack to make sure he had all of the equipment for the mission.

"Going home is enough of a reward for me," Selana sighed.

"You say that now," Lukos started. "But when you see me swimming in victory, we'll see how you react."

"And what exactly do ya' think ya're going ta' find way out here?" Kaeneth asked as he grabbed some Seeker grenades.

Lukos looked at the old Hunter, "The excitement of battle. Wouldn't you agree, old man?"

"Aye, I guess it is our honor as Hunters on the line this time around," Kaeneth exhaled, approaching the exit.

Selana lightly laughed before I noticed both of the Hunters looked incomplete, "No sniper rifles?"

"No, this lad wants ta' contend with ma' experience with pistols and edged weapons exclusively," Kaeneth replied.

"Contend and conquer," Lukos corrected.

"We'll see about that," Kaeneth retaliated. "I'm not going down without a fight, ya' fool."

Yet another contest of ability. I shook my head as they persisted to challenge each other with offensive jokes and tests of wit, "I'd feel more comfortable if you both take your rifles anyway. We know what we're potentially up against here. Assuming we don't run into a multitude of them, both of you can go ahead and see this game through to the end. But if we get into a tight spot, I would like to have as much firepower as we can carry."

"Game?" Lukos asked, almost offended.

"Tharsos is right, Lukos," Kaeneth interjected, while removing his sniper rifle from its mount. "Take your full inventory."

Not favoring such an order, Lukos reluctantly grabbed "Rude Awakening" and loaded it. As Selana and I both equipped ourselves with our weapons, he supplied himself with several magazines for his rifle and looked at me with dissatisfaction, "Good?"

I approved with a simple nod before motioning for my team to the passenger hold. I passed Selana as she placed her helmet over her head and followed me to the hold. I picked up my helmet from my previous seat and also put it on, waiting for the locks to seal. After they did, I tapped my helmet as my comrades observed. Each acknowledged that theirs were sealed with green lights flashing on my HUD. With confirmation, I spoke into the team's communication channel, "Petros, atmosphere is isolated and systems are green."

_"Affirmative, Guardian Katenos,"_ the Ghost answered shortly before disengaging the hatch's locks and seals. The external atmosphere poured into the vessel, and the sounds of the opening door were muffled as the vacuum overcame its noise.

"It's Tharsos," I muttered.

_"My readings suggest that there aren't any hostile presences nearby. Scans show that we will be the only occupants of the facility."_

I looked upon the landscape, searching for our objective. Wherever it was, it was hidden well. I had to praise this facility's creators for concealing its entrances underneath natural earth formations. Finally, I made out a small circular clearing barely visible from our elevation. It appeared like any ordinary basin amidst the rocky, mountainous region below. But I managed to distinguish its distinct geometry, as difficult as it was. Petros proceeded to descend to that particular basin with gradual deceleration.

_"Empty?"_ Lukos complained. _"Why in the hell am I here, then?"_

_"Readings are never completely conclusive, Lukos,"_ Selana assured him. _"They're always subject to change."_

"Let's hope this isn't one of those cases," I told my team, waiting for us to reach the ground. My teammates didn't respond, but I knew they understood my meaning. If we could get away with it, I didn't want to be getting into any firefights here. Get in and get out. I prayed that we would be able to complete the mission with just that much. But considering our primary objective, it seemed like a long shot. Too much to hope for. I steeled myself for what could come. I was confident my team was doing the same. We all understood what we were potentially facing here. And if we were going to meet it, it wasn't going to be easy.

We finally reached ground level. The thrusters died and the landing gear touched down on the soft dust blanketing the entire surface. We stepped out cautiously, approaching the entrance doors veiled in dense darkness. Sound was completely absent in every action we made. Even when Lukos tapped the thick doors to the massive complex we waited just outside of with his knuckles.

_"I'll override the lock,"_ Selana said, withdrawing a small device that attached to the ancient control panel to the right of the door.

"_No, you won't, Ms. Kaiah,"_ Petros rang.

I wasn't the only one surprised to hear the Ghost, and we all turned toward the _Volframio_ to see Petros floating over to our position with the ship's hatch closing behind.

_"What do ya' think ya're doing?"_ Kaeneth asked with a hint of surprise in his voice.

_"Let a company of technologically dumb Guardians enter such a technologically rich facility without any assistance more than Ms. Kaiah? What do you take me for, Kaeneth?"_ Petros snapped, his lights dimming as he approached.

I watched Kaeneth's shoulders slump, _"A ball o' tin, but ma' gut tells me we're going ta' need ya'."_

Petros fumed for a moment, but his dark lights brightened some, _"If we are to succeed in this operation, we need to appreciate the gravity of the information this station holds. It is delicate and fragile. No offense, Ms. Kaiah, but the only one here qualified to handle such files is myself. So, I will be accompanying you on this mission, Fireteam Shachal. I'm anticipant of our cooperation."_

Lukos sighed sarcastically, _"Yeah, looking forward to it."_

"_I'm glad you're excited as well, Guardian Chorvo,"_ Petros beeped humorously before returning to his boorishly suave tone. _"Now step aside. I will get you through this door for a start."_ Lukos glared at the Ghost as he worked. The rest of us waited patiently. When the mechanized slabs of thick and heavy steel smoothly shot to the sides, a long and deep, dark hallway gaped open before us like a harrowing tomb, _"Fireteam Shachal. Welcome to the Moon and its largest lunar research station, Menia."_


	17. Chapter 17: Hollow

Chapter 17: Hollow

I don't know if I'd ever been so tense. Petros' scans were of no consolation. I constantly anticipated the shadows' sinister claws to slash at me. But no matter where I aimed my weapon's or helmet's flashlights, my eyes met the same blank walls that we had been sluggishly trekking by since we stepped into this hallway. As each of my teammates and myself walked forward at one another's sides, I guessed the hall was at least ten men wide. Maybe more, but as uncomfortable as I was, I had no clue how long it was. I was so conscious of my surroundings, I hadn't bothered thinking about the exact amount of time we had spent within, but it felt much longer than it probably was.

At the moment, the only comfort I had was that the atmosphere systems were somehow still operational, and when the entrance sealed behind us earlier, the vacuum inside was filled with oxygen. The station still having some functionality astonished me. But with our current space being filled with a safe atmosphere, there would be sound as well. When I thought ahead, I welcomed the fact that I had more senses working for me than meager vision in this dark husk of the Golden Age. Though presently, I hated it. Our crisp footsteps were followed with the unmatched clarity of the most eerie echoes. I dared not utter a single word, fearing I would alert some slumbering beast that Petros assured us wasn't there. I couldn't actually see my teammates very well, but I didn't need to. Simply watching the beams of light emanating from their equipment spoke plenty. My comrades were as wary as I was. But I was glad they were. We needed to stay sharp, for all of our sakes.

Petros sighed, "Why all of you are so cautious confounds me. Every one of your heart rates are several intervals higher than they should be. Must I continuously coddle you with promises, or do you not trust me?" He hovered around us carelessly before mumbling, "Some features of my programming I could go without, even for just a day."

"Shh, ya' loud speaking bucket," Kaeneth whispered. "I swear, if we run inta' anything that ya' wake up, ya' won't see me trying ta' pull ya' out o' the mix." I don't think I had ever heard Kaeneth sound so concerned or frustrated. Even he was nervous. Couldn't blame him. The Moon wasn't a place Guardians wanted to visit. Personally, I didn't know of a case where someone looked forward to it. That was how much respect was demanded from this desolate satellite.

"I am surprised Kaeneth. Are your 'true colors', as you say, coming forth? Or are you merely speaking out of anger?" Petros asked, circling the veteran Hunter.

Kaeneth responded with nothing but silence.

"Such a ridiculous question." Petros zipped back to the fore of the line, "Your vitals suggest there was no honesty in your words. So, should I say, 'Thank you'?"

"Ya're welcome," Kaeneth replied, tightening his grip on his pistol.

"Damn it, where's the end of this hall?" Lukos muttered over the elder Guardian and Ghost.

Petros then reverted his attention to the younger of the Hunters, "Don't you believe you're closing the distance with each step? Does that expression suffice?"

"No," Lukos snapped shortly.

"We're getting much closer. At the rate which you are walking, I would say another 120 seconds, approximately. Does that serve as an enhanced expression, Guardian Chorvo?" Petros chimed arrogantly.

Impatient and furious, Lukos quickened his pace and walked ahead of us, "Why the hell do we get stuck with a Ghost like you?"

"Guardian Chorvo. Need I remind you I've been a member of Fireteam Shachal long before you? Why must I cooperate with such a dimwitted Guardian as yourself?" Petros beeped again, his sarcasm observed as his luminescence brightened in the gloom of the hallway.

I frowned as I listened to the two argue, but resorted to Lukos' action and sped up as well. Following my change in pace, Selana and Kaeneth trailed closely behind and we soon reached the opposite doorway. Several flashlights scanned the door itself and its sides. Kaeneth, having discovered the keypad, called Petros over to the control panel on the right side of the entrance.

The Ghost hummed and whirred as he worked, and then sighed as if disappointed, "These firewalls."

"Is something wrong, Petros?" Selana asked, stepping forward to offer her assistance.

"No, I just find it surprising such weak measures of security were utilized during the Golden Age. Why it's so effortless to break through confuses me," Petros droned lowly.

"Now he's trying to be humble," Lukos interrupted. "Your modesty isn't very convincing."

"I'm not being modest," Petros retaliated. "I'm merely stating an observation. Maybe it's too early to tell. After all, both panels I've accessed have little need to be secured with high grade clearance codes, being common facility entrances. Visitors with the lowest levels of clearance would have been able to open them easily. Yes, that must be it. It's not as if humanity had much need for high level safeguards during the Golden Age either."

I began to think about it myself. Petros seemed to be back to his comfortable self with his self-assured explanation, but I was bothered. The possibility humanity had few enemies during the height of its power wasn't unbelievable. As important as I'd heard this research station was, I didn't doubt that they had extensive external defenses so destructive, intruders wouldn't have even made it to the front door. But no matter how strong their outer defenses, refraining from taking equal, if not greater, safety measures within seemed irresponsible. If this facility housed such important information, not protecting it seemed contrary to the claim.

The doors' gears interrupted my meditations. This particular entrance didn't open as easily as the first set. Rather, the mechanics groaned and battled to slide into the adjacent walls. Only one of the two slabs of steel shifted; the other simply struggled to open by rattling with vehement vibrations. Petros killed the commands he sent through the system and the right door simply died down as my team and I entered the next room.

We were standing within an empty lobby. A checkpoint of sorts. The floor was painted with many various signals intended for organization at the main gate just ahead. Barren chairs and tables littered the edges of the large enclosure. Some offices and small walk-in closets created some hardly noticeable contrast on the many plain and distant walls surrounding us as we scanned the area with compact rays of light.

"This darkness is extremely annoying," Petros murmured as he shot toward the checkpoint in the corner ahead. A very small office was enclosed behind a large trapezoidal window that overlooked most of the room. Aside from the technology within, it was vacant. We followed in a staggered formation, each of us frequently scanning the darkness with our small lights as Petros hovered to the checkpoint's locked entrance beside the edge of the bulletproof window. He studied the keypad shortly before accessing the panel and unlocking the door. It slid to the side and he entered, observing the multitude of equipment inside.

The Ghost examined the technology for just a few moments before speaking, "Ah, here we are." The long dark sources of illumination buzzed to life above our heads. A soft and lonely glimmer of light clung to each of us as if welcoming our visitation. "That's much better."

"That I can agree with," Lukos responded indirectly as he turned his flashlights off and relaxed himself.

The rest of us decided to follow suit, lowering our weapons, and approached the Ghost exiting the gate's office. He floated to us, yet it didn't seem as if he was looking at us. To me, it seemed like he was distracted with something. It didn't last and he looked each of us over as he halted, "While I was within the system, I was finally able to access some of the general mainframe. I've generated a link to the station's primary systems. Now I should be able to access much of the complex without coming into 'direct' contact. There are, however, some areas that I haven't been able to create a connection with." He paused unusually after his statement, which drew my attention.

"Is that normal?" I asked.

"What? Having difficulty accessing some of the systems within the mainframe?" Petros replied.

I nodded in response.

"It depends. Several systems being locked out isn't odd, especially if they contain sensitive information. Unless you possess the required clearance, you may not be permitted to access the system. Gaining access without the privilege of authorization can be particularly difficult."  
"Is it impossible?" I then asked.

Petros seemed to get where I was going, and his voice sounded almost pleased, "No it's not. The security is much more difficult to break through, but admittance is not impossible. I have a connection with the primary systems and given some time, I should be able to find a way through the firewalls containing the protected files."

"How long will that take?" I asked him.

"That matter, on the other hand, is difficult to say. Some of these advanced security measures have means of rebuilding themselves with restructured countermeasures in order to prevent any attempted, or rather, forced, admissions. If the software is of high grade capability, it could take several hours at least," Petros explained. It almost appeared as if he was currently trying to attack the digital defenses as he spoke.

"Is there any way to accelerate the rate at which we can access the files or stress the system so that it can break more easily?" I questioned again. I didn't want to be here for several hours trying to break through the highest prioritized files guarded by Menia's most advanced security firewalls.

Petros thought for a moment, or perhaps he was investigating the research station's infrastructure in an attempt to find any helpful leads. I could hardly tell one way or another, but I waited patiently for a response on any possibilities. He then hummed, "Ms. Kaiah, would you mind telling me if you've supplied yourself with any anti-security modules?"

"Wouldn't go anywhere without them," Selana answered as if happy that she had the very needed items on hand.

Petros' lights brightened, "Excellent! I believe there is one way I can potentially pressure the firewalls beyond their defensive thresholds. As much as I would like to deny it, I will need your assistance, Fireteam Shachal."

"Explain your plan, Petros," I ordered with an unexpected smile.

"Very well." Each of us listened intently as he started to describe our course of action. "If I can establish a connection with the mainframe from within one of the primary servers housed inside the station, I will be able to cause ample strain within the system to overload the firewalls' countermeasures and break through in several hours. But if I'm able to create duplicates of this basic program and copy them on Ms. Kaiah's anti-security modules, I can maximize these iterations to increase the rate at which the system breaks down. The problem is I, myself, can only access one server at a time, but when these ports are applied to the other servers, I can access them as if I were actually present. Therefore, I can stress the mainframe from multiple points and reduce the extent of time needed to extract the files."

"And this will work? It'll shorten the time we have ta' spend trying ta' break through?" Kaeneth asked.

"In theory, it should," Selana answered, withdrawing the spikes she had safely stored in her slim belt. Three small, white and gray cylindrical devices rested in her palm.

"Based on the floor plans I copied from the mainframe, I have determined there are three primary servers within Menia," Petros chimed. "We'll only need two of those, Ms. Kaiah, as I won't have need for one with the server I personally hack."

Selana returned one of the modules to her belt, and carefully set the other two on the counter at the checkpoint's gate. A conical beam of strange light emanated from Petros' eye and danced over Selana's spikes. After a short moment, the beam of light dissipated, and Petros' body held little of its own.

"I have successfully duplicated my hacking programming exclusively, and left the same links I used within the general mainframe within the security modules. The servers are displaced throughout the station, so it may take some time for each to be located. I will stay at the first once we reach it. The sooner I can begin overloading the mainframe's firewalls, the better. From there, we must separate. Having shared access with your HUDs visuals and constant readings on your transponders, I will be able to guide you to your respective objectives. Once the other two are found and the spikes are connected, I will commence the operation. If we succeed, we should have complete access to what we came for."

"You don't sound too sure," Lukos commented.

"You can never be completely positive," Petros retorted. "But I do believe the probability of success is high."

"Doesn't matter to me," Lukos said. "It's looking like I won't get what I came for, so I'd just like to get this over with as soon as possible."

"Do any of you have any further questions?" Petros asked, dismissing Lukos.

"No questions, but an added detail," I mentioned with haste. "You're going to need a guard, Petros, whether you approve of it or not. I won't risk you getting caught alone if things get hot. Kaeneth, I would like you to stay with him when we reach the first server."

"Aye, got ya'," Kaeneth replied, glancing at the Ghost. "Looks like we're going ta' be camping out, old friend."

"Indeed," Petros began. "And I must agree that you've made the best choice. It would be a waste to keep Ms. Kaiah with me, since she can handle one of the servers alone. And as for Guardian Chorvo. Well, needless to say, that's a greater waste of my time. Lastly, you must lead the rest of your team, Guardian Katenos."

I nodded before looking my teammates over, "Are we ready to proceed?"

My team acknowledged my request and we followed our flying beacon down the throat of the black hallway nearest to the lobby's checkpoint.

"Got a light?" Lukos asked Petros.

"Why do you ask? Are you afraid of the dark?" Petros asked.

Lukos simply glared at the Ghost, "Answer the question."

"Yes, I do. You have some of your own, as well, don't you?" Petros responded sarcastically, his eye beginning to glow.

Lukos exhaled with frustration, "You know what I mean. Do we have to walk through every room and passage with flashlights?"

"No, if you prefer to traverse this facility without, you're more than welcome to," Petros replied.

"You piss me off," Lukos muttered angrily.

"Likewise, Guardian Chorvo. Likewise," Petros said as the lights overhead flickered to life. "Satisfied?"

"Not quite," the Hunter hissed, staring at the Ghost.

"That's enough, you two," I said, breaking up the quarrel. "Let's put more focus into completing the task at hand. I don't want to deal with you two at each others' throats from beginning to end."

"That's not the most fitting of expressions, Guardian Katenos. I don't have a throat," Petros remarked.

I shook my head, and my team, including Lukos, began to chuckle lightly in response to Petros' comment.

"I must admit, you kind of set yourself up for that one, Tharsos," Selana laughed, looking over at me. Though it was through my visor, I met her gaze and reflected on what information Petros spilled earlier on the _Volframio._ I had many reasons for wanting to leave this place as soon as possible, but, by far, the most pressing reason to finish this mission quickly was to get her out of this station and off of the Moon. When I heard we were going to the Moon, I immediately grew concerned about Selana being present. I had heard dozens of stories about the kinds of horrors you could encounter in its caves. As far as I was concerned, Menia wasn't much different than a cave presently. I never cared to trust technology, and Petros' continuous assurances that we were alone didn't change that, no matter how much I wanted it to. I would give anything to know undoubtedly that we would complete the operation and depart without more resistance than the mainframe's firewalls would give. But a growing suspicion darkened my mind.

The events of our trek were unremarkable and remarkably dull. Through countless corridors and poorly locked terminals we seemed to endlessly walk through. Half of the time, Petros resorted to activating lighting sources. The other half, he decided to antagonize Lukos' comfort and patience by having us walk through black enclosures, large and small, with nothing but our flashlights. My own discomforts ebbed slightly as we continued. Every room, every hall seemed to be the same. Hollow and quiet. Protected by weakly secured doors. I grew familiar with the routine. Perhaps it was because I yearned for it, but I was starting to believe that we just might get through this without firing a single shot. I was somewhat comfortable. Or at least more comfortable than I was before, until the silence was broken with a single simple question that somehow evaded us.

Lukos slowed and asked, forcing us to do the same, "Am I the only one wondering why this place is so damn empty?" The question surely rang in each of our ears a dozen times, and having realized the truth of the fact, we all caught one another's quiet and suspicious gazes.

Menia was no small space station. Every room. Every hall. Hollow and silent. Not a single trace of even one casualty from the famed, destructive Collapse.


	18. Chapter 18: Scream

Chapter 18: Scream

Having come to the simple, and now conspicuous, revelation that beside us, Menia's structures were utterly empty, the caution we experienced previously returned, only more potently disturbing. I kept it private, but I cursed myself for not noticing the most obvious details. How I could completely overlook something that could potentially and ultimately determine how this mission could conclude devastated my resolve. I didn't know what to do in light of these facts. For all I knew, all of this was part of some ridiculously plain scheme and I led my team deep into its clutches. I had the feeling even Petros was fooled, for he had nothing to say to justify the reasons for the space station's vacancy. After Lukos asked what eluded us since we entered this base, Petros no longer tried to convince us that we were alone. He must have been thinking more acutely on the circumstances now. It couldn't have been as simple as he originally thought. But we were short on answers. Answers we needed desperately.

I took a small breath, only to keep my teammates oblivious to my concerns. I had to relax. Gather myself. Lukos couldn't have cared less about my position, but I was expected to lead Shachal through this operation. As I calmed down and recollected my thoughts, I realized this small piece of information could very well have been a blessing in disguise. I laughed to myself when I thought about how much worse it could have been if we didn't learn of it at all. We were fine. And we were only going to become even more prepared than we were as we continued forward.

Aside from the heavy breathing caused from subconsciously holding our breaths, a thick and heavy silence hung in the passage we were frozen still in. I observed each of my companions, getting the sense that they didn't know how to proceed, or rather, depending on the person, awaited my reaction to the discovered truth.

"What do ya' want ta' do, Tharsos?" Kaeneth asked calmly, straightening himself where he stood, also observing our team as I did.

I lowered my gaze to meditate on the information present, and took one final glance at each of my comrades, each of which had their eyes fixated on me, "We go on. Jumping to conclusions without having all of the facts will only serve as a detriment to our mission. Until we gather more information regarding the fate of Menia, we will continue with Petros' plan."

"Don't you think we should consider questioning what happened here before we move on?" Selana asked, worry filling her every word. "If we spend even just a minute to try to determine what happened here, perhaps we can adapt more suitably to whatever we might encounter ahead."

"We could spend a thousand minutes here trying to figure that out," I said, stepping forward, just to close the distance a little in an attempt to comfort her. "Normally, I would agree with your proposal. But any period of time we spend sitting idly by won't complete this mission. All we know is that this station is empty of casualties. Nothing else. We have nowhere to begin to start asking why. Until we have more to analyze, we should move forward and reach these servers if we can."

Selana stood unvoiced and motionless before me. Her grip on "Heaven's Tempest" was slack and her head hung low in the darkness. She tried to look up to me, but struggled to bring herself to do so. However, I waited patiently, only to see her hardly perceptible nod.

Lukos started forward with Kaeneth at his side, "Hey, if we're lucky, this place isn't a shell after all, old man. You still remember the challenge, don't you?"

"Aye," Kaeneth chuckled. "Ya' still remember that I'm going ta' kick your ass, boy?"

"You're more than welcome to try, but don't get your hopes up," Lukos jested.

Their competitive rants were unrelenting as they distanced themselves from me, both of their secondary weapons drawn. Meanwhile, I watched Petros dart after them, a soft stream of wispy light faded into the black of the hallway as he left Selana and I behind.

Once we were alone, I stared at her for a short moment before I placed my finger underneath her chin and gently lifted it up, "Look at me." Selana hesitated, but complied and shifted her turned head to me and listened. "You're afraid," I said, although as if asking.

She didn't respond and tried to drop her head again, but I didn't let her, "Are you?"

"What would you say if I told you I was?" Selana's voice cracked with a whisper. She forced her head down and I withdrew my hand, listening to her closely. "This place isn't like Earth, Tharsos. We're far from home." After she spoke candidly, she glanced up at me.

I was about to respond, but stopped myself before I said something carelessly. For but a second, I reflected on my answer, starting after a long exhale, "You're right. This isn't Earth. The occupants of the Moon are no mystery and exploration has only recently been reopened. We don't know what to expect. And we're at a disadvantage." I affectionately held her shoulders, soothing my voice, "But I don't want you to be afraid, Selana. I won't let anything happen to you." I wanted to give her my promise, but I couldn't speak it. For years I hadn't been able to offer a single oath. And it became part of my nature to withhold them, even though I didn't necessarily want to.

"I'm not afraid of the Moon or the Hive, Tharsos!" Selana snapped. I was taken aback; I had never heard her shout like that before. She had her helmet on like the rest of us, so I couldn't actually see her face, but from the sound of her voice, I got the impression she was holding tears back. Her next words were more docile, but far more emotional, "I'm not worried for my sake."

Just then, I realized what she meant when she said she was scared. She hadn't removed her gaze from me as I stood there like a fool. We were on duty, but that didn't change who Selana was to me. Or who I was to her. For the course of the journey so far, even I was constantly thinking about protecting her from anything and everything that would come to harm her. Because of my bad judgment, I dropped my head as well.

"You know what I mean now, don't you?" Selana asked quietly, resting her open hand on my chest.

"Nothing will happen to me, Selana," I replied after a short length of silence. I didn't truly believe that poor assurance would comfort or relieve her of her fears, but it didn't stop me from hoping it would.

"I knew you would say that. You don't want people worrying about you. But can you tell me with the utmost confidence that you'll be fine? What am I going to do if you lose control again; if you charge headfirst into the next formidable opponent we come across and this time you get mutilated? Will you even survive? Will you tell me what I'm supposed to do then?" Selana asked, pouring her fears on me. It was all too obvious this time. I could tell she broke, unable to hold her tears back any longer. She shuddered and small, quiet cries were swallowed by the corridor. I sighed and slung my weapon before reaching out to her and pulling her closer. She attempted to stifle her solemn sobs as I embraced her in the dark.

"Both times I've gone on rampages, I've been confronted with the terror in your eyes. I might be able to overcome battles with that 'power', but in the process, I feel like I lose you. If you trust me, trust me when I tell you that I will not do that to you again," I responded in a tone that even shocked me. But I couldn't be more honest. That truth didn't only impact her, but me as well. Selana grew quiet after hearing my pledge, and I loosened my firm but tender hold on her to hear how she would respond.

The Warlock simply stared at me and squeezed my armored hands as hard as she could. And then she whispered, the tears having subsided, "I trust you."

I only wished I could actually feel the warmth of her hands, but clenched hers softly before turning to the end of the passage our team proceeded down. A soft blanket of light was cast on the wall ahead and a silhouette stood still before it, staring at us. I glanced at Selana again, trying to ignore the fact that the secret was as public as it needed to be, "We should move."

Selana collected herself and agreed. When we turned to our destination, the figure I saw standing at the end of the passage was gone. As we quickened our steps to catch up with the rest of our team, I felt Selana's lightly armored hand grip mine in the shadows, to which I returned the gesture. I wanted her to feel safe. I wanted her to feel secure. Whether or not she would ever accept my means, I would do everything in my power to get her home.

* * *

She wished that walk down the last stretch of the gloomy hallway with Tharsos lasted longer. Selana felt selfish, and it might have been against her better judgment, but she accepted that without question. Realistically, they hadn't known each other very long, but for the past seven months, Tharsos and Selana had spent much of their time both on and off duty with each other. It might have only been a few months, but Selana felt like she had known him far longer than she actually had. Unlike most people, he was easy to trust and look up to. Furthermore, it was easy to want to trust him.

Yet, there were times Tharsos seemed to want to make everything he could okay, with his team at the very least. Selana frowned at the thought of the burdens he willingly took upon himself. Even just moments ago, he was trying his hardest to comfort her in the middle of a mission. Part of her wished she didn't open her mouth. Her outburst would just become another weight for Tharsos to take on, and that was what bothered her. She didn't want him to endlessly worry himself with the struggles he was supposed to face with his team. With her. But at the same time, she felt compelled to inform him about how she felt. Selana understood that there was no way either of them could completely separate themselves from their relationship with each other while on the field. That would always be a factor, and she wanted Tharsos to understand that it wasn't something either of them could ignore. Not now and not later on.

Even so, Selana was calmed by Tharsos' often successful efforts. Even his strong hold on her slender hand made her feel safe, even though they were in strange, and likely hostile, places like Menia. She only hoped he felt the same way when she held his. But Selana frequently reminded herself that wasn't how Tharsos was. He was different than he was months ago. Not in the sense that who he was then was gone. But there was more to him now. He wasn't alone like he was then. Now he had something to protect. And as often as Selana tried to convince herself that the very thing needing protection was only their fireteam, she knew deep in her heart that she was that very person he wanted to look after. Normally, Selana wouldn't have wanted to be that person, but knowing how alone he was before, she welcomed the fact that she could contribute to not only the betterment of his life, but hers as well.

He kept many, if not most, of his thoughts to himself. Often times, Selana wished he would open up, even just a little, but bad habits die hard. And she still gathered there was much to his past experiences, and perhaps even present ones, that he couldn't bring himself to discuss with anyone, let alone her. But she sympathized and knew that he would come to her with these matters when he was ready; if he ever would be. With Tharsos being such a closed off, private individual, Selana wondered how he felt about their relationship. When she thought about it herself, she wondered if his seldom expressed views on it were attributed to his parents' deaths when he was a child. She couldn't imagine what it was like, since she always had her family there, but she could imagine that it was difficult to seek relationships with people if you feared you would lose them to whatever fate awaited them. Whatever fate would pry them from your hands. Selana wanted to be the person to take that fear away from him.

Both Guardians reached the end of the slowly brightening corridor. Petros must have activated the lights in the connected room. He awaited Selana's and Tharsos' arrival with Lukos and Kaeneth standing beside him. Selana hadn't seen the bystander Tharsos saw in the previous passage and withdrew her hand to try to retain their secret relationship's integrity. The Hunters and Ghost simply examined them enter, only one having the nerve to break the hush that followed.

"What happened to sitting idly by?" Lukos snorted impatiently.

"Forgive me. It was my fault for slowing us down," Selana confessed apologetically.

Kaeneth squinted at her, "Are ya' okay, Selana?"

Selana thought of an excuse as quickly as she could to justify the holdup in the hallway with Tharsos, "I thought my armor's rebreather was malfunctioning. Tharsos checked it for me."

"Tharsos, of all people," Lukos laughed. "He's not the most technologically inclined, you know?"

"And how is it, Ms. Kaiah?" Petros asked suspiciously.

"It's fine. False alarm," Selana assured the team as best as she could. "How are we progressing?"

"Excellently. Despite the increase in your uneasiness as a unit and your delay with Guardian Katenos, Ms. Kaiah, we have made considerable progress," Petros said, his words echoing sharply off of the plain metallic walls and his suspicious tone fading.

"Good," Selana sighed, glancing at Tharsos, who remained strangely quiet since they decided to exit the last hall. She returned her gaze to the waiting members of Shachal, "How much further?"

"Just a few more strides, assuming you are ready to proceed," Petros chimed, strafing before Selana and Tharsos.

"Absolutely," Selana responded.

Petros merely pivoted sideways before rotating and hovering to the next door's control panel. The entrance opened easily, as usual, and the door itself shifted into the adjacent wall, allowing the team access to a cramped room full of various technological equipment littering every face of the surrounding walls and heavy built in table in the middle of the room. A couple of desks were also covered in ancient, sleeping terminals.

"Damn. Looks about as overcrowded as a full magazine," Lukos whistled, examining the enclosure with wandering eyes.

"An overstatement, Guardian Chorvo," Petros corrected with a dismissive tone as he ascended and descended about the space, searching for the server, which he found in a few short seconds.

"Doesn't matter. It's too crowded for me," Lukos said, careless to Petros' attitude.

"I will work much faster and far more efficiently if you refrain from disturbing me," Petros hissed, the same beam of light emanating from his eye, as he used to copy his programming on Selana's security spikes, darting over a large tower of hardware.

"I'm currently engaged in attacking the firewalls," Petros began, his attention only partly given to our presence. "The sooner you install the modules, the sooner we can depart from this forsaken station."

"Kaeneth," Tharsos called. "Keep an eye out."

"Got ya'," Kaeneth confirmed. "I got ma' eye on him."

"Selana. Lukos. Let's get going," Tharsos said. "I'm expecting clear directions, Petros."

"Of course, Guardian Chorvo. You wouldn't receive anything less," the Ghost responded hastily, trying to get back to work.

Kaeneth watched the current Fireteam Shachal leave the room, and after a few moments after the door closed crisply behind, he turned to Petros, "Ya' noticed, didn't ya?"

"Of course I did, Kaeneth. Did you need to ask?" Petros answered, a hint of concern actually complementing his words for once.

"Why do ya' think she was lying?" the veteran Guardian asked.

"For the same reasons anyone lies. To hide something they don't want revealed. What that is for Ms. Kaiah, I cannot say," Petros said.

"Aye," Kaeneth muttered, not satisfied with the lacking details. "I hope they'll be okay."

"They will have to be. This particular mission is far more significant than just extracting the information contained within this facility," Petros sighed, closing the conversation with a pause in his commands. Kaeneth nodded in agreement and leaned on the table in the middle of the control room, letting Petros continue with his work uninterrupted.

* * *

"How much further is the second server?" Tharsos asked over the team's communication channel.

_"The displacement between the first and second servers isn't as great as the distance between the second and third. If you would, just follow the waypoints I've been providing you. Aside from that note, you and your team should arrive shortly, Guardian Katenos,"_ Petros said in response.

Selana listened to every word closely, if only to just try to discern what was on Tharsos' mind. But any and every detail that concerned the mission was almost as important. Almost. She wondered why she was thinking that way. As much as Tharsos' well being meant to her, she didn't want to suggest that the Last City's inhabitants' welfare didn't matter as much. As much? More so? Confused, she tried to weigh her priorities, making her question her motives and the value of her allegiances. What mattered more? Tharsos or the City? She knew what the "right" answer was, but she couldn't wholly agree with it on a personal level. She wouldn't. The war waged was fought by individuals. And the individual had hopes and dreams of their own. As Selana reflected on her position in relation to her City and Tharsos, she came to understand what the implications of her mentality were, should anyone discover her opinions and present them publically. The thought scared her and she did her best to avoid dwelling on it by focusing on the mission.

"How do you intend to split the team up?" Lukos asked Tharsos casually. "No matter how you cut it, one of us is going to end up alone at one of these servers."

"Petros, are the defensive systems at the next server operational?" Tharsos asked in a distant manner, waiting for the Ghost's reply.

_"They appear to be in proper functioning status. I can attempt to bring them online."_

Tharsos cut the channel off and glanced at the Hunter, "Like Petros said, Selana can handle one of the control rooms alone. And you were right when you said I wasn't technologically inclined, so you're with me."

Lukos muttered quietly, "Alright." He stared at the Titan with care, a glint of curiosity in his eyes as he observed his body language.

Selana, having lingered behind her two teammates since leaving Petros and Kaeneth behind, watched Lukos study Tharsos attentively. Memories of their meeting long ago resurfaced, and she remembered how divided the entirety of Shachal was then. But things were different now, or so she hoped since the assault in the plains. Lukos was furious over his rescue for several months after the event, and often avoided Shachal, with the exception of Kaeneth, who he eventually managed to get along with quite well. The pair of Hunters were inseparable when on duty, like they were a close uncle and nephew who enjoyed playfully contesting with each other at every turn. And even though Lukos didn't seem to be as upset as he used to be, she knew his opposition to Tharsos' decision to save him was still locked away somewhere inside. Terms hadn't been met, and she still had the feeling he held hostilities toward Tharsos in particular. Selana studied the mysterious men before her, wondering if they would ever come to trust each other. Rely on each other as friends. Aside from the absent Sideros, a rift still remained between Tharsos and Lukos. They managed to work well enough with each other to get the job done, but Selana didn't want either to feel like "well enough" was sufficient. With everything that was at stake, "well enough" wasn't good enough.

The fireteam then came upon a heavily guarded doorway. Automated defense turrets mounted on the ceiling sat completely still as the group entered their sensors' range. They stopped and examined the pair of guns on guard, as if waiting to see if they were actually functioning safely or malfunctioning altogether. The three Guardians found relief when the firearms simply scanned the room, not recognizing the signatures within their sensory fields as hostile threats.

"Thanks for the assist," Tharsos said to Petros.

_"You're most welcome, Fireteam Shachal,"_ the Ghost's voice disappeared as soon as he replied.

In formation, they stepped forward, leaving the turrets above to their programmed protocols, and the door lying before the team unlocked and swished open, presenting a somewhat larger control room than the previous one for the Guardians. Tharsos entered first and swept the depth of the enclosure. Lukos was followed by Selana as he started to observe the other doors adjoined to the room, all of which were cramped offices and storage spaces that led nowhere.

As Selana unhurriedly approached the center of the control room, the door behind silently closed and the locks engaged with muffled shifts of the several bolts and seals housed within. Each Guardian ignored it and turned to each other in the middle of the space.

"So here's two," Lukos mumbled, his gaze wandering about the area.

Selana scanned the equipment and soon noticed the console she was looking for. Both Tharsos and Lukos made the wise decision to watch Selana to familiarize themselves with the process needed to give Petros access to each of the three servers. Considering her extensive experience with technology and engineering, Selana wasn't pressured in the least and got to work. After a swift procedure, she withdrew the spikes she had stored in her belt and installed one in a distinct port on the tower.

"Petros, the first of the spikes is docked and now active," Selana informed him, leaning back and observing a modest light strobe from underneath the external shell of the module.

Shachal was met with calm, a sign of which Selana assured them was Petros testing his theoretical method to determine if it was valid and operational. After an unusually long wait for the Ghost, he finally contacted them, _"The overload is proving exceedingly successful. Much more successful than I calculated, I might add. Installing the second module should provide just the number of outlets I need to completely crash the firewalls."_

"Confirmed," Tharsos said out of the still air. "Selana will be staying here, so she can help you attack the software. Lukos and I will go to the third server. We'll contact you when we reach it and connect the security spike." He held his open hand out toward Selana. She stared into his dark visor before glancing down at his gauntlet. Her heart rate jumped when she realized he was going to go deeper into Menia with just Lukos as backup. It worried her, but she knew none of them had any other choice but to finish the task at hand. She slowly raised her closed hand and hesitantly dropped the second spike into his palm. She wished she could see his expression to be sure, but she guessed he was looking at her with caring, assuring eyes. A confidence that she wasn't sure she could share with him. "Lock the door behind us, Petros," Tharsos boomed, turning away from Selana without another word.

_"Understood, Guardian Katenos,"_ Petros rang.

Selana watched Tharsos and Lukos vanish into the thick shadows just ahead, the white door between them and her sliding shut and locking her inside; preventing her from following. Alone and still overwhelmed with fears, she felt her heart drop before turning to assist Petros in pressuring the mainframe's defenses.

* * *

Lukos was whistling a plain tune to himself as we traveled through passage after passage. All of which were as dark, if not more so, than the first areas we had gone through before. Being so preoccupied with the concentrated assault on the software's defenses, Petros couldn't afford to spread himself thin by accommodating our much longer trip to the third server room with illumination. This was as good as it was going to get. Although our equipment donned powerful flashlights, our visibility was reduced to a handful of rays of light trying to breathe in the crushing darkness suffocating them. I had only grown too familiar with the crisp echoes, reminding me that our most effective sense was hearing. Every action resulted in the clearest audible noises bouncing and ricocheting off of the many metal faces of Menia.

My comrade quit whistling and sighed, "Petros wasn't kidding. How long have we been walking?"

"Long enough," I replied, scanning our surroundings as thoroughly as I could with my weapon's attachment.

He simply scoffed, "Yeah."

I noticed the small light shining from his helmet shifted to the left, glancing in my direction. Lukos was acting differently since we reached the first control room. He was as reserved as he ever was, but wasn't quite as cautious as he used to be when we first met over seven months ago. I was used to him now, and knew that he had something on his mind. "What is it?"

"What?" he asked plainly.

"Don't play dumb, Lukos," I said. "I know something's on your mind. Just spit it out."

"Play dumb? You're one to talk, big guy. Isn't it obvious?" the Hunter retorted harshly. "I saw you and Selana in that hallway."

"What of it?" I asked in a cold tone.

"Did either of you feel like filling the rest of us in on your situation?" Lukos answered with frustration and anger building up.

Since I saw the figure at the end of that passage earlier, I knew this conversation was going to come up, and I dreaded it no matter who Selana or I would end up telling. But if I could help it, the last person I would have wanted it to be was Lukos, "No, we didn't. We thought it was best to keep it separate from our duties."

Lukos shot an amused laugh into the air, "And how did that work out for you?"

Admittedly, the question he confronted me with was a challenge to answer. In all honesty, I understood that it didn't work well at all. The decision Selana and I made to keep our relationship secret racked my mind, and I was forced to question its practicality, like I had been since I talked to her privately in that corridor.

A firm hand pulled at my upper arm. I looked back to see Lukos' solid black visor staring at me, "I don't think you get the kind of effects your little fling with Selana will have here. You know that keeping it a secret didn't work out. Your distant behavior confirms that. Tell me this. Where's your head been since we left Earth?"

I pulled my arm away and faced him squarely, "That doesn't concern you."

"It does concern me, damn it! It concerns this whole team," my teammate snapped, pushing me. "If you don't straighten your head out and get focused, you could end up killing every one of us. Same goes for Selana. Distractions kill more than bullets do."

"Why is it you give a damn now?" I retaliated, although in complete agreement with his statement, regardless of how harsh or blunt he was intending for it to be.

He shook his head and stepped forward, staring boldly into my visor, "Because I don't intend to die because of your mistake. This is why I've never liked working with teams. Everyone is too dependent on everyone. I need to know if I should be watching my own back."

"Doesn't sound like you," I responded with hostility, pushing him back with a forceful hand. "Haven't you always watched your own back?"

Lukos scoffed, avoiding my question, "You and Selana have to decide on what you're going to do. Are you going to be all in? Or all out? The middle ground is only going to kill all of us." He wasn't wanting a response to the rhetorical challenge and walked away at an increased pace.

I stared at the circle of light on the wall in front of me, only barely wavering as I breathed, trying to cool myself off. He was right. I would have been able to come to the same conclusion he came to if I bothered thinking about the repercussions the secret between Selana and me would have on our other responsibilities. I fumed over my negligence, realizing we made a mistake in keeping our relationship from our team.

I glanced to my left to see Lukos still distancing himself from me at a strong pace, the light attached to his revolver sweeping from side to side as he checked his corners. I jogged forward and caught up with him. When I did, he didn't acknowledge my presence and continued to proceed down the hall outraged.

"Thank you."

The partial glance only lasted for half a second before he averted his eyes ahead and appeared to relax a little himself, "Let's just get this over with."

The rest of our march was understandably hushed. I didn't mind, and Lukos didn't seem to either. But we finally reached the end of our trail when we came upon a recognizable door.

"Petros, we're here," I said over the comm.

_"Unlocking entrance,"_ the Ghost responded, sounding almost fatigued.

Similar to the second set of doors we encountered in Menia, this pair's mechanics strained to open with a groan, but after a short struggle, they managed to grind to the side, shrill scrapes accompanying the shift of metal. A sinister shadowy room lied open before us. The strange ambience hanging over it was comparable to barely audible hyperventilation being drowned out by the soft, monotonous whirs of the equipment inside. The technology's small lights with virtually no radius decorated the heavy darkness.

Lukos and I swept the room, searching for the same console we had seen two times before. A somewhat more difficult task, as this room didn't have lights like the last ones. But my teammate, having more experience than I with tech, discovered it. It took longer for him to find it than Selana or Petros, but we managed nonetheless. An achievement in by books. I still wanted to get out of this place as soon as we could.

"Installed," Lukos sighed after taking the spike from my hand and inserting it into one of the dozens of ports scattered on the tower.

_"Confirmed, Guardian Chorvo,"_ Petros said with something resembling an exhausted gasp. _"Initiating security overrides now."_

The Ghost didn't say anything else, and Lukos closed the channel without pause, turning to me with a yawn and stretch.

"We should get back," I muttered, beginning for the exit. I expected a set of footsteps to follow, but I heard a word spoken in an odd tone.

"Wait," Lukos murmured. I shifted on my heels to see him walk to the other side of the room, staring at a terminal sitting on the counter. He stared at the screen in silence before tapping a few holographic keys on the side of the screen.

"What is it?" I queried with a small measure of impatience added.

I wasn't given a reply as the Hunter slowly leaned up, still staring at the screen. Now curious, I stepped back into the room and decided to investigate the display Lukos' attention was fixated on. When I approached, I observed the terminal from the side. A floor plan of the facility was on the display, and lines with gradient streams of dissipating light passed over the image of the space station. A radar. I watched the first complete pass I would see. The thin bar on the screen moved form left to right at a moderate rate. And then blips started to appear. What started out as a few turned into dozens. Dozens turned into scores. And eventually we were caught awestruck as hundreds of signatures began moving at an incredible speed from the opposite end of the base toward our location on the map. Not only ours. But to those server rooms that held our comrades within as well.

"What are those?" Lukos whispered, captivated.

"Lukos, we have to go," I yanked at his shoulder with a late reaction from the man. "Now, Lukos!"

He peeled his mesmerized eyes from the terminal and we ran for the exit. As soon as we stepped into the hallway, we were slowed when an unnaturally shrill and long series of screams and shrieks shredded the air, sending a shiver down my spine. Lukos and I stood petrified at the noise, our pained ears ringing and breaths labored. Just then, the still air was killed as we listened to the erratic, chaotic marches of Menia's ancient residents intensify in its hollow caves.

"Petros," I whispered.

Static filled the channel. Lukos, with "Huckleberry" held high, shifted his wary gaze to me, flaring his fingers around the grip and trigger.

"Petros. Kaeneth. Do you read?" I asked again, frustration in my voice.

No response.

"Selana? Can you hear me?"

Silence.

My breathing started to spiral out of control and grew heavier, each subsequent respiration shortening drastically as I felt my entire being become wrought with indescribable terror. Panicking, I futilely screamed into the dead channel's static, "Selana! Selana!"


	19. Chapter 19: Inundation

Chapter 19: Inundation

Like a nightmarish symphony of death, distant scrapes, slashes, twisted snarls, and bloodthirsty gnashing grew more overpowering in the always listening air of Menia as Lukos and Tharsos stood unmoving at the third server room's entrance. Mindless slaughter was in the very howls, claws, blades, and war cries of the incoming creatures of horror. Lukos, as excited as he was to start pulling the trigger of his gargantuan revolver, shifted nervously in place. Listening to the powerful call of destruction closing in on him, he realized the sheer size of the force that was approaching was nothing to underestimate. No matter how many times the Hunter glanced at Tharsos, he was met with the same labored respiration noticed from outside of his heavy suit of armor. Lukos hated to admit it, but he sympathized with the Titan. Even so, they couldn't stand around and wait to be overrun.

"Tharsos, what are you going to do?" he asked, expressing the current imminence, stepping forward twice to turn to the Guardian standing still next to him. But the Titan had no words. Lukos pulled back and observed Tharsos for a moment. He became much easier to read when his emotions became stronger than his control over them. Even behind the thin black visor that prevented Lukos from seeing Tharsos' eyes, he knew the Titan was fearful, but not petrified; doubtful but not destroyed; compassionate, but a nightmare of combat.

Without indication, Tharsos bolted at an astonishing speed into the pitch black corridor leading back to their previous checkpoint, to which the watching Lukos grinned widely and chased after.

Never had Tharsos run at a velocity Lukos couldn't catch up with easily, but the unknown condition of their teammates-of Selana-must have pushed Tharsos into a frantic state of excessive capability. Lukos' aim was usually sure, but the flashlight attached to his equipment bounced and bobbed erratically in the darkness as he slowly gained on his comrade. From the unseen of the black hallway ahead, his ears were filled with the cries only heard from excruciating pain caused by cruel, unforgiving destruction and torture. He only wondered who or what was causing this pain to the other. He skidded at one of the many turns of the space station's maze-like passages and immediately snapped to his side to see a cloud of intense, inhuman green eyes of the animalistic Hive swarm the hallway ahead. Only their eyes weren't set on the Hunter.

Lukos redirected his alert gaze to what drew their focus. Tharsos was just ahead of him sprinting for the crowd of beasts like a mad man, a handful of crushed Thrall behind him.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Lukos called out to the seemingly deranged Titan, just waiting for the man to be engulfed in a ruthless massacre.

He was only met with a terrifying and wrathful roar, and Tharsos' body became enveloped in an electrical storm of energy arcing and crackling off of his body with unquenched fury. Then Lukos witnessed Tharsos do something he never thought he would see him do. Not slowing for a second, the Titan leapt toward the fray of Hive with an astoundingly strong forward jump, and placed an irremovable two-handed grip on a Thrall's now disfigured skull. As soon as Tharsos made contact, his body moved like a slingshot and he somersaulted over the creature without removing his hold and swung the Thrall over his head, acting as if a catapult. The wiry fiend flew at a shocking speed, neck broken, into the horde of his counterparts. Distracted, they didn't notice the unrelenting assault continue, as Tharsos hurled himself at the crowd again with a growl of anger and smashed his fists into the ground. The pure force generated from the shockwave even staggered Lukos who stood at least thirty feet away now, and the nearby Hive were thrown off of their footing. The Thrall who took the brunt of the blast crashed into the surrounding walls, lifeless like meager insects next to Tharsos' ferocity.

A low and hoarse bellow reverberated from the rear of the Hive mob, and as Lukos started to run for the chaos, a set of three small but murderous lights approached the frontline, the indiscernible frame of the behemoth standing tall above the rest of the fodder riddling every face of the hall around him. The Knight got close enough to be identified as the light of the electricity sparking off of Tharsos' armor like a savage predator flashed on his volcanic rock-like armor. He challenged the Titan with a horrific roar of his own and reared the wide-bladed sword into the air and brought it down with enough force to gash the thick, dense metal floor underfoot. Meanwhile, Lukos fired well placed headshots into the heads of the Thrall closing in at an alarming rate, doing his best to refrain from removing his eyes from the spectacle with the Knight. The vertical slash was vainly attempted as Tharsos sidestepped and slammed his boot down on the Hive's hand, forcing the colossal beast to withdraw his grip. Afterwards, the enraged Knight swung slow, closed fists at him, futile as the Titan sent a barrage of swift punches into his midsection, beginning to shatter the charcoal black plates of armor. Black smoke fumed out of the cracks and a gray luminescence could be seen underneath. Recoiling was the worst thing the Knight had done. The raw strength Tharsos was capable of wielding was witnessed as he swept the lodged blade through the steel floor and swung it upward and through the Knight's vertical, cleaving the abominable creature in two. As the halves of the Knight groaned with a dark vapor pouring from the cuts and fell to the sides, Tharsos slammed his left foot at the site of the kill, pivoted, and put his entire hip into throwing the huge sword at the mass of Hive bystanders ahead of him. It penetrated at least two Thrall and sent them flying into their comrades behind.

Hive Sentries broke the frontlines, growling and hissing at Tharsos, and opened fire on him with heavy hitting semi-automatic weapons. The projectiles had the power to knock a fully shielded and armored Titan off balance, and Tharsos reeled back from a few of the shots, his shields flickering from the damage. Lukos, in response to the attack, fired around Tharsos into the infantry with "Huckleberry". Managing to eliminate a few of the hostiles, he watched as more continued to emerge from the now wary crowd and fired at the main threat.

Angered by the distance being placed between him and the Hive, Tharsos widened his base and roared at them. Even more surprising to Lukos, Tharsos erected a barrier. A Ward shield. Only it wasn't a complete sphere. More like a hemisphere, Tharsos placed the defense between him and the Hive and ran toward the enemies without hesitation. The shield usually allowed entrance of objects or individuals that traveled at low speeds, but it was different this time. As Tharsos sustained this barrier, it was being fed with an electrical charge, and the many hexagonal plates reacted to the Hive as they would to fast traveling projectiles. Each creature that had made contact with the shield was being pressed by it like a moving wall. Congested and becoming compressed as Tharsos pushed the Ward barrier forward, the spherical faced shield started to warp from the strain. The Titan pressed forward a few more steps and stood just inside of the tense shield's concave side. His left hand was held forward, outstretched on the barrier, and his right was held back, surging with a tremendous enormity of more intense electrical arcs. Soon, his right hand bore the likeness of a small blue and white sun, too bright to look at directly, and Lukos squinted at the sight of long arcs stretch forth to the shield's inner face. It's color turned to a light hue of blue when Tharsos let out a long and loud howl and punched the shield with his glowing fist. The Ward screeched as the energy dispersed throughout, flooding its surface area, and shot down the hallway like a massive slug of energy. At first, the Hive were being swept back with the face of the Ward, but as the electrical charge diminished from the displacement to the monsters, the Ward returned to its normal state and passed through the sea of dead Hive at the end of the corridor.

Tharsos stood quietly before the stream of corpses lying still before him, breathing deep, fists closed tightly at his sides. Lukos stared speechless at the scene of unbelievable ruin. A packed hallway was cleared out in a single swoop. He didn't even realize it at first, but he was sweating profusely. The last time he had seen anything remotely like this, he was in Old Denver and Tharsos tore a Praetorian's head to shreds. He was deadly then. But there was something more dangerous about this man that stood before him now. With the utmost care, Lukos slowly approached Tharsos, prepared for the worst. As he got closer, he was conscious of the streams of perspiration roll down his face, and the feeling of his hot pulse underneath every inch of his skin. But the Titan didn't react. Lukos gulped and flared his fingers around his weapon, placing his finger next to the trigger.

Just then, Tharsos faced Lukos with nothing but the calm air between them. The once lowly held "Huckleberry" snapped up, its laser sight set on Tharsos' head. Lukos took a deep breath and stared nervously at the man, "Tharsos?"

In all of his years, Lukos had never felt more uneasy. He wasn't sure what was worse; being afraid, or being afraid of the fact that he was terrified for once. This man was capable of killing him in a matter of seconds, and he wouldn't be able to do much to defend himself. Even speed was out of the question, as Tharsos proved he was capable of moving swiftly when he wanted to. Lukos exhaled irregularly, stopping at short intervals as the long breath was filtered from his helmet. He stopped about ten feet short of the Titan and waited for the next move, still keeping his sights on his teammate's forehead.

Tharsos still stared at Lukos in the hush of the grave they stood within before breaking the uncomfortable silence, "We need to keep moving."

Lukos blinked with surprise. Tharsos was lucid. Usually when he lost control, he acted in a type of unconscious state, and came to as if waking up from a bad dream. But not this time. He was completely calm and coherent. The Hunter, still cautious, interrogatively asked, "You were aware of what you were doing?"

A pause split his question from the response for a full second, "I was."

"Sorry, but I find that hard to believe, Tharsos," Lukos said with an unwanted, but necessary measure of hostility. "How can you assure me that you were conscious during that fight?"

The Titan lowered his head and examined his surroundings, "Because I promised I wouldn't lose control again." He glanced up at the Hunter still prepared to fire in self defense, "I'm not going to hurt you, Lukos."

He scoffed with a small chuckle, "Well, thanks, but I need more than your word. I don't want my head ripped off when I least expect it."

"Selana has seen both cases. When I lose control, the Light I wield is physically manifested in the likeness of a pale blue fire. That's all I can tell you. If any of what you saw resembled that, then shoot me. I won't stop you. But I can't afford to justify everything you question. I don't have the time for it."

Lukos paused, but began to remember his account of Tharsos' rampage in Old Denver. It did look like Tharsos was enveloped in fire then. Every fiber of his being was still nervous, but he felt like Tharsos was telling him the truth, and lowered "Huckleberry". He stood straight up and sighed, "Alright."

"Are you with me?" Tharsos asked plainly.

Lukos simply looked at him quietly before laughing, "I haven't even let loose yet. You think I'm gonna let you leave this place as the victor of the battle?"

"Last time I checked, I wasn't part of your game with Kaeneth," Tharsos responded.

The Hunter walked toward and past him, stepping over the mass of Hive bodies, "You are now. But don't think you're the only one with new tricks, Tharsos."

Tharsos simply turned to him, only to see no one there.

"You better hurry up! I'm not gonna wait for you!" Lukos called out from the end of the passage and carpet of gray Hive carcasses. He watched as the Titan observed him from the other end of the steaming corridor and began sprinting for his location.

When he reached him, Tharsos didn't decelerate, "Selana first."

Lukos nodded in response to his command, respectful of what was on Tharsos' mind, "Right. We better be quick though. About all Petros can do for Kaeneth in a fight is spout curses."

"Then let's spend less time talking and more energy getting there."

The Hunter agreed and both left words for another time, the two Guardians picking their paces up to dead sprints. Comms were down, but Petros managed to provide them with the return waypoints before interference was cast. They raced for the nearest first, fully opposed as intruders amidst a hornets' nest.

* * *

"Almost there," Lukos remarked under his breath, not sounding fatigued in the least.

I didn't reply. Within the last few minutes, I witnessed things I had never seen before, but they were as distant from my mind as they possibly could be. There was only one thing that kept my focus. I was going to get my team-Selana-and evacuate from Menia. Every second I thought about how I wasn't where I needed to be, I battled with the unwelcome fears and uncertainties of Selana's well being. At the end of it though, all it did was propel my tenacity more and more.

How many times I juggled these thoughts in my head was indeterminate, but it didn't matter. I put everything into my being to close the gap between me and my destination. Never had I felt my heart race like it was pumping now. But it didn't ache. I welcomed it openly, because I was prepared to use every tool to my disposal to utterly total the opposition. If they stood between me and my resolute decision, I would crush them. If they harmed mine, I would make the fearless fear.

Lukos followed just next to me, our speeds matched. With a quick glance, I noticed he holstered "Huckleberry". For what reason, I didn't know and didn't care. I worked with him long enough to know that he was hardly ever unprepared and nearly always alert. Matters from the plains hadn't been resolved between us, but at the moment, I trusted him to help me achieve the rescue of my team. Our team. Perhaps I didn't think about it for the sake of keeping my reservations, but Lukos occasionally tossed his statements around haphazardly, and when he did, I caught suggestions of commitment to Shachal; contrary to his often promised claims of apathy. My reservations. I started to question them. Maybe they weren't necessary to hold onto any longer. Lukos could deny his allegiance all he wanted to, but the fact of the matter was that Shachal was important to him.

An echo rang through the lightless labyrinth of alike passages. The guardians of Menia were coming again, and they were closing in fast. I cursed the impedance. We couldn't afford delays. The radar from the third server room showed several hundred signatures, and it was plausible to assume that there were even more Hive swarming the space station's halls. I understood well enough that there wasn't really anywhere we could go without stumbling upon Hive, but I was beset with the strange sensation that they knew where we were. Perhaps some kind of heightened sense of hearing or smell.

I hefted "Hail of Fire", prepared to fire into the crashing deluge of hideous creatures to emerge from any of the forward branches of corridors. The excessive animalistic calls of slaughter intensified both in volume and quantity. I clenched my jaw in wait of my enemies, steeled for a devastating battle. And they did come. Three hallways ahead, a sea of gray and green poured out like a tidal wave, starving and thirsting for the death of invaders. As if mindless, or purely indomitable, the horde of Thrall dropped to all fours and made long bounds toward us with amazing swiftness. I hardened myself and skidded to a halt, about to fire a storm of blazing heat into their pathetically guarded bodies. But I was forced to desist.

"I got this!" Lukos called, filled with adrenaline.

I slumped momentarily in response to his brash act, but kept my guard up. My legs were overwhelmed with an urge to move after the crowd of Hive, but the combined use of Ward and Havoc with the first immense wave left me in need of a long recovery. For a while, I likely wouldn't be able to utilize my abilities. But I couldn't fire into the frantic mob of Hive without shooting Lukos either.

My frustrations ebbed as I laid my eyes on a surprising sight. Lukos' body darkened, as if a storm cloud clung tightly to his uniform. Bands of golden electricity, thin but vibrant, sparked from the vapor that surrounded him. I didn't see him withdraw the twin serrated karambits he had sheathed underneath his arms, but in less than a second, the arcs on his body snapped to his knives and fuelled their blades with the same energy. Soon I was caught staring in awe at the assassin of storms wielding long, golden, crescent-bladed weapons that now resembled something like swords. And then he was gone. Nothing but a cloud of dark gray vapor with traces of fading electricity filled the space once occupied by Lukos.

Both confused and astonished, I scanned the area in search of him, only to be brought to the sight of confusion abounding in the crowd of Hive ahead. Their assault ceased and the disturbing shifts of their heads looking for their opponent were cut short as Lukos, in indescribably swift bursts of vehemence, appeared, disappeared, and reappeared elsewhere amidst the crowd of beasts in fleeting flashes of black and gold, slashing the gray flesh with crackling blades of heavenly ruin. The intervals between his vanishing and reappearing decreased both drastically and exponentially, and soon all I stood watching was a whirlwind of death and annihilation.

In a matter of mere seconds, our path was clear of life and movement. I stepped forward once, observing the black vapor fume from the thousands of critical cuts and gashes adorning the scores of bodies on the floor. I jumped and snapped my rifle up when a muffled burst sounded next to me and Lukos appeared. The arcs of energy diminished as he sheathed his knives and the dark cloud closely enveloping his frame waned gradually. He doubled over immediately and rested his hands on his knees. It didn't take long for me to get a grasp of how exhausting that was for him. I doubted he ever breathed so hard. His very body shuddered, including his shaking limbs and head, and I imagined his lungs were trying to pull in every cubic inch of oxygen it could possibly take in. He struggled to look up before lying a heavy hand on the barrel of my LMG and let it drop to lower my aim.

An unmatched hoarse and dry voice attempted to speak, but couldn't get a single word to break through the uncontrollable inhalations and exhalations.

I shook my head, "Don't try to talk. Catch your breath."

He listened and decided to answer with an exhausted nod.

I turned toward the hallway, and stared at the waypoint on my HUD. I tightened my jaw. We couldn't linger here. I looked back to Lukos who still couldn't stand, let alone breathe. I slung my weapon and outstretched my gauntlet. He didn't notice at first, but with a short upward glance, he saw it and shook his head with embarrassment.

"We can't sit around here, and I'm not leaving you either," I told him firmly. After he saw my hand, only the floor had his attention, but he must have deliberated and against his pride, grabbed my forearm. I pulled him up and threw his arm over my neck, "I'm going to need you to be on the gun."

He took a deep breath and weakly pulled "Huckleberry" from its holster and let it hang at his side. I started to run toward the location directed by the waypoint, bracing Lukos' back to assist in his aim, should we need it. His feet dragged on the floor as I carried him to our objective.

We weaved through the stretch of winding passage turns before reaching the last straight line that led to Selana's position. For the better part of the last five minutes, I was carrying my teammate. In that time, I hadn't thought about what I would do if I was confronted with the worst case scenario when we found Selana. By this time, Lukos managed to walk, albeit slowly and unbalanced. I didn't loosen my grip on his wrist over my neck. I couldn't care less about his pride, and I wasn't going to drag our trek out any longer than we needed by leaving him to stumble around far behind me. Seeing the side of the door I had Petros lock behind us after leaving Selana, I sped up, forcing Lukos to move his feet faster.

At the door, I set Lukos up against the wall, and he swept either side of the corridor with his revolver. I approached the plates of steel and examined the surrounding wall. I didn't know what I was doing as I vainly tapped a few of the keys on the control panel and attempted to pull at the doors. There was no feasible way inside without aid from someone like Petros. I paused, deliberating on whether or not to do the simple. As far as ammunition was concerned, we were fine. But, Lukos and I were in a bad spot regarding stamina. If we were caught in another fight, I wasn't sure how much ammunition would help. At the same time, I was divided regarding the opening of this door. I wanted to find Selana, but part of me feared seeing what was on the other side. I swallowed my worries and raised my hand to the metal and forcefully knocked on it three times.

Lukos chuckled with raspy words, "Old fashioned."

I lowered my head and slowly rested it on the doors, listening to the silence I was afraid of that followed. My shoulders grew heavy as I exhaled, demoralized.

"Tharsos?"

I opened my eyes and shot up at the sound of the muffled, soft-spoken call, "Selana? Are you okay?" No words could describe the relief I felt wash over me. Her voice liberated me of my fears and my body quivered with the knowledge that she was alive.

"I am, but how about you? I lost contact with everyone," she answered, sounding relieved herself.

"Lukos is with me. He's not in the best shape, but we're alive," I told her, Lukos scoffing in offense behind me. "Selana. Can you open the doors?"

"Many of the station's systems were shot after communications were lost, but I can try a direct link up. Give me a second," she replied.

I turned to Lukos who was sitting against the wall with his head leaned back on it. His diaphragm was still hard at work as he struggled for air, his revolver held loosely on his leg. I offered my hand, which he reluctantly took, and I pulled him up, noticing his footing was still limp. He simply leaned and rested his back on the wall, waiting for the door to open, to which I also set my attention on.

Hardly sensed beeps could be made out from the hallway. Selana must have been working frantically, as the reinforced bolts disengaged and unlocked without much of a wait. The doors immediately shifted to the sides without a sound, and Selana stood at the other side.

I faced Lukos, starting to offer my assistance. He simply put his hands up toward me, "I got it."

Compliant, I let him enter the room on his own ahead of me. Selana stepped to the side as he approached a desk and leaned against it. I entered after and Selana returned to her portable hacking device at the door's inner keypad and closed the entrance. Afterwards, we exchanged gazes.

She ran into my arms, taking me somewhat off balance, but I closed my arms around her tightly, bringing my hand up to the back of her head and rested mine on hers. Her slender figure shivered as she quietly whimpered, clutching me around my back.

"I'm okay," I whispered. "We're okay."

The source was irrelevant, but I felt a heat build up in my chest. I cast aside my fears. She didn't need to know about them. I had what I needed in my grasp. I let out a long sigh as I brought her unseen eyes to mine, "We have to get out of Menia."

Selana nodded, and with ease, loosed her hold around my body, "Have you had any contact with Kaeneth and Petros?"

"None. Communications were down for us, too. We came here first," I informed her. "Before we go, you need to patch Lukos up some. Even if it's just enough to get full mobility back."

Selana took her eyes off of me and glanced at the Hunter resting on the desk, "What happened?"

I turned to the Guardian and answered for him, "Overexertion."

Time wasn't wasted, and she approached Lukos, already drawing out the healing aura in her hands. Its light was much more vibrant than it was in the past. Selana amazed me. In just the last ten minutes, I had come to the realization that the entirety of the current Fireteam Shachal had made progression worthy of much praise. I walked toward my team and rested my hand on Selana's shoulder, "Don't overexert yourself either."

"Don't worry. I won't," she assured me with a touch of her glowing hand.

I traipsed over to another of the old desks in the control room and sat down while Lukos was being healed. As much as Selana meant to me, I wasn't one to weigh the value of people who were important to me. I could never bring myself to do that. Deciding to get her first wasn't the easiest of choices, and it wasn't that I doubted her ability, but I couldn't wait to get her last. I rested, hoping Kaeneth and Petros were managing sufficiently for now. I wanted to get going and pick them up as soon as possible. Kaeneth was a tough Guardian, but I couldn't reassure myself, without question, that he would be okay alone. I glanced at Selana and Lukos. We had to hurry.

* * *

"All done," Selana sighed, standing up. "Your respiratory system was overworked. I don't know how someone of your endurance could suffer that kind of stress, but however you did it, I would take care not to overdo it again."

Lukos jumped off of the desk and stretched, "Desperate times call for desperate measures. If I need to, I'll take the extremes I need to get the job done."

Selana frowned, "Just be careful. The last thing we need in this team is recklessness. There's no benefit to any of us getting killed because of it."

Humored, he laughed lightly and thought to himself, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Doc." Although infrequent, Lukos had taken a liking to nicknaming Selana "Doc", at least whenever she started to use the regenerative healing abilities of a Warlock. She had nothing against the gesture. He turned back to the desk and grabbed his sniper rifle before joining Selana and me.

"The good news is the distance between us and the others isn't very extensive. The only thing we can't be certain of is what the resistance is like from here to there. Formation is critical. I'll take point. I can lay down forward suppressive fire and since my weapon has the lowest accuracy, I need you two to stay out of the cone at my flanks. By the time we reach the last halls, the largest openings will be on our right side. Selana, cover the right with your SMG. Lukos, cover the inside on my left. With cover from both Selana and me, you should be able to pick your best shots as well," I explained, anxious to see our team's extraction through.

Each of my companions acknowledged my order and we waited outside of the exit. Before we left, I stopped Selana, "If the pressure gets too high, call the switch with me and I'll cover the right. I can't stress it enough. Do not hesitate to tell me."

"I understand, Tharsos," Selana replied, equipping her SMG. "If I have to, I promise I'll let you know."

"Thank you," I said before motioning for the door with my head.

Selana unlocked the exit and we stepped out into the rectangular space just a little wider than the average breadth of Menia's passages. We nearly left the area before I turned to the defense turrets mounted on the ceiling. They were still. Selana and Lukos also halted and observed them as well.

"They seem to be inactive," Selana muttered, bewildered.

"That damned Petros," Lukos cursed behind clenched teeth. "What kind of game is he playing?"

I studied the equipment briefly before slowly turning away and pacing toward the next corridor, followed by my teammates in their respective positions.

In order to conserve even just a portion of energy for a potentially rough escape, we resorted to a moderate run toward Kaeneth's last known location. Some undeterminable sounds rang through the halls, clear as a bell, but they were infrequent and always distant. It was as if Menia's volume was empty again, or its denizens were getting quieter. I gathered there was a possibility they were avoiding us because of our amassed strength. But that didn't stop any of us from remaining keenly aware of our surroundings.

The question remained. Why were the automated turrets outside of the last server room deactivated? Petros was the only one present in the base that could activate and disable such systems. I started to question his loyalties. What was his purpose in bringing us here? I hated betrayal, and if it was determined he was trying to eliminate us with this elaborate ploy, I would be the one to usher his destruction.

"Tharsos, do you hear that?" Selana asked.

Initially, I listened to my surroundings, but realized her meaning was referring to the communication channel. Through some quiet static, I heard a voice occasionally break through, but I couldn't identify what was being said.

"I do now," I told her. "Petros could have established a weak transmission. Let's pick up the pace."

As we quickened, the signal strengthened. Despite that fact, the content of the message was still indecipherable, but the distance between us and the last waypoint was dwindling rapidly. A blessing we weren't opposed. I was eager to get the entire team out of this hole and back home. I had enough of the Moon already.

At last, the first of the server rooms we encountered previously was upon us, but as we drew closer, the black that was plastered on the wall suggested that we were looking at an open entrance. None of us took the time to investigate before we entered, and upon that, we discovered the room was without a single occupant.

"Where are they?" Lukos asked.

"The armory," Selana muttered, looking down at the center table.

I approached and brought my eyes to what drew hers. A message crudely carved on the tabletop read "ARMORY".

"Kaeneth?" Lukos asked anxiously, reading the word.

"I don't know who else it could have been," I answered, shifting my attention to a physical blueprint resting on the other side of the table, its edges curled up and partially torn. I placed my fingertips on it and pulled it over Kaeneth's message. We scanned the thin and worn paper for the location of the armory.

After discovering its position in Menia, Lukos groaned with irritation, "That takes us deeper."

"They must have been trying to link up with us," Selana mentioned, removing her gaze from the floor plan.

"Selana, run a scan of the print and have personal systems trace the shortest paths to the armory. Send the image to Lukos and me. We're going to get them," I said, beginning to investigate the room for any other clues, of which I found none.

"Done," Selana informed me less than a minute after.

We immediately departed, and dove back into the depths of the Hive's station. Non-operational communications were proving to be our greatest hindrance. They had local range frequencies, so going into a dark zone shouldn't have affected transmissions, but something of a powerful magnitude impeded contact. And it had been in effect for nearly half an hour. I wondered what could have caused it. Now wasn't the time to invoke our mission with further interruptions, though. And we set out to regain contact with the rest of the group. Or part of the group, should my suspicions be valid.

Soon we reached a straight in our path, a welcome sight as we could cover plenty of distance in a short amount of time. We had run through about half of it when we heard a low and deep rumble ahead. In response to the threat, we raised our weapons to our lines of sight, only to see the next set of doors ahead start to shut in front of us.

"What the hell is that Ghost doing?!" Lukos shouted, each of us now sprinting in a failed attempt to pass through the closing gap. Now mere inches from sealing shut, we slowed at the dead end. "Damn him!" Lukos yelled.

"Why would Petros do this?" Selana asked with confusion.

In order to keep my comrades calm, I concealed my own fuming anger over Petros' actions, "I don't understand it either, but we still need to get them out. Find the next shortest route, Selana."

"Already on it," she replied.

"I'm gonna kill that Ghost," Lukos seethed, pacing back and forth.

"Relax," I ordered. "Keep your head. We don't know why he's doing this, but if he can justify his reasons, we should hear him out."

The Hunter simply shook his head. I knew he was trying to ignore my suggestion, but equally so, I knew he heard me well.

Selana approached me from behind, "I found another way. It's not much longer than this one is. A service passage leads from this main hall to another one that will line us up with the armory. We only have to double back a little."

Shortly after her explanation, a new waypoint appeared on my HUD. "Let's move fast, before another door shuts in our faces," I said, running toward the objective.

* * *

The service passage was a tight fit. Unable to walk squarely in the claustrophobic tunnel, I was forced to walk somewhat sideways. Lukos led the single file line with Selana between us. Flashlights were dying so we turned them off and resorted to our HUDs' night vision, a tool we rarely used due to the high demand of power in our armors' internal systems. But I was willing to take the risk, and was grateful for the enhanced visibility. A small consolation though, considering we couldn't move easily in this service tunnel.

I wished we were able to pass the previous door that mysteriously closed on us. This route was proving slow and arduous. And most of all, I didn't like the cramped quarters. With such close spaces, about all we could manage in a fight was hand to hand combat. But even I wouldn't be able to do well in that department, as my mobility was reduced in this enclosure. I prayed we would reach the exit sooner than I knew it would take.

The hush that followed us resembled that of the silence we were met with when we first entered Menia. But now, it wasn't something to take for granted. I was even more cautious and prepared for anything.

"Almost there," Lukos whispered. Before the statement set in my mind, commotion broke out just ahead of me and I barely caught a glimpse of a lanky arm flail around Lukos, thick and long claws extending from the ends of its bony fingers.

"Damn it!" Lukos cursed, taken by surprise as the Thrall emerged from his flank. The wild beast slashed at the Hunter in a hectic frenzy, and moments after, the struggle ended with a few shrieks of pain as Lukos drew one of his karambits and severed vital points of the creature's body, sending it to the ground with a clank, its writhing diminishing as Lukos put his boot down on the fiend's neck and put a bullet in its hideous skull for good measure. "Hope your acoustic reduction sensors have been functioning properly," he muttered, starting to lead the way again. Fortunately they were. Otherwise, the revolver's blast would have our ears ringing and aching.

It was a good thing that was the worst of the resistance we encountered in the service tunnel and we made our much needed exit. Where we emerged was nothing unfamiliar as the same walls, doors, and passages surrounded us. Another waypoint was generated on our HUDs, pointing us to our right. The sight down that hallway was different however. Bullet holes, dents, and scrapes riddled the faces of the walls, and the floor was darker than any other area of the floor or walls around it. There was a lone set of doors in front of the signs of a firefight.

As we approached with firearms at the ready, the waypoint diminished to a transparent indicator, "Must be the armory. Cover me." Lukos and Selana nodded and aimed there weapons at the entrance as I slammed my palm on the face of the metal doors twice, "Kaeneth?"

Like when Lukos and I met up with Selana, I heard muffled words behind the doors, "Tharsos? Are ya' there, boy?"

Elated, Lukos laughed, "Kaeneth, open the door!"

"Aye, hold on a wee bit," he answered excitedly. "Petros, peel these apart."

The slabs shot to the sides and a battered Kaeneth sighed at the sight of us on the other side, "It's good ta' see ya' kiddos again! I was beginning ta' think the worst."

"Come on, old man. We wouldn't die that easily," Lukos jokingly assured him.

"No, ya' wouldn't," the veteran said with cheer. "Now come inside, all o' ya'. Quickly."

We complied with his urgent waving and as soon as we were clear of the entrance, the doors shot back together. A small armory, although much larger than any of the other spaces we had been in thus far, virtually vacant of any arms or functioning equipment was open to us. Kaeneth walked over to an old bench next to a weapon rack and sat down favoring his arm.

"Ms. Kaiah, if you would, please tend to Kaeneth?" Petros requested quietly.

Without waiting for an explanation, Selana darted to the old Guardian and immediately started healing his bleeding forearm.

"What happened?" I asked in a hardened tone toward the Ghost, still suspicious of him.

"Subsequent to our last transmission, I was in the mainframe when I received scans on a multitude of movement and activity in Menia. I attempted to contact your unit, but interference prevented a successful transmission. Shortly thereafter, we were attacked by the Hive at our previous position. Kaeneth was wounded by a Thrall, but we managed to escape the area. Initially, we sought to rendezvous with you, but as a planned contingency we were forced to take refuge in the armory. In the event you reached the first of the servers, we left a message to inform you where we would be. I can safely assume you received it."

"We did," I said coldly.

"But that's not the only message we got," Lukos hissed, glaring at the Ghost.

Petros rotated partially, observing both of us closely, "Would you mind explaining your hostile behaviors, Guardians Katenos and Chorvo?"

"I don't need to explain myself," Lukos shot back at him. "Why don't you tell us why you were closing doors in line with our path, or why you disabled the defense systems at Selana's post?"

"I see," the Ghost droned lowly. "I declare to you that those actions were not mine."

"I don't believe you," the Hunter growled, withdrawing his revolver and aiming it at the Ghost.

"Lukos!"

Both Lukos and I averted our gazes to a stern Kaeneth sitting on the bench being treated, "Hear him out, ya' stupid fool."

We looked back at the unwavering Petros who simply hovered in place, "Perhaps it's best I show you. Follow me." Lukos and I both had our reservations about him, but did as he said and followed him to the other end of the armory. As we rounded the corner, we were met with an unsightly body lying still on a workbench. But it was identifiable as it needed to be.

"What the hell...?" Lukos trailed off, staring at the mass of disfigured flesh.

"A Thrall, if you haven't succeeded in identifying it yet," Petros beeped, floating over to the head of the table. "Come."

"Why is it cut open, Petros?" I asked, looking into the black steaming void of its torso.

"For a suspicion I had to confirm," he answered with patience.

I glanced at him with a keen eye, "What suspicion?"

"The doors and turrets you just mentioned weren't the only systems of Menia that began to behave in an odd manner. While I was engaged in breaking through the security firewalls, the hacking was succeeding. But after the loss of contact, the firewalls began to grow stronger and gaining contact with the mainframe's protected files was becoming far more difficult."

Lukos and I were still confused and simply stared at him, waiting for further explanation. Selana and Kaeneth joined us as well, listening to Petros closely.

"I began to ask myself why all of this occurred after the Hive's emergence. Aside from Fireteam Shachal and myself, and the Hive of course, there weren't any other occupants of the station."

"What are you getting at?" Lukos interrupted impatiently.

"Silence, lad," Kaeneth commanded. "Just listen."

"I came to the conclusion that it wasn't a coincidence, and hypothesized that the Hive were responsible for the communication interference and increase in digital security, as well as the inclusive information you've brought to my attention; the doors locking and turrets deactivating."

"So you're saying the Hive accessed the network's systems somehow and caused all of this?" Selana asked, both astounded and almost unconvinced.

"Not exactly," Petros corrected, lowering his gaze to the split skull of the Thrall. In response to this, we approached the body, save Kaeneth, who I assumed already knew what Petros was telling us.

We had already grown used to the fact that the Hive didn't have much inside of their exoskeletons, and that was obvious here as nothing but dark crusted matter filled their bodies and some kind of black vapor was emitted from their wounds. But the head was different. It was as if the brain was preserved. That was the first thing that drew my focus, but after a closer inspection, I saw a strange object imbedded in the brain.

"What is that?" Selana asked curiously.

"An excellent question, Ms. Kaiah," Petros rang. "It's a transmitter of sorts, but far more complex."

"So you're saying the Hive have the ability to tap into the mainframe with this device?" I asked.

"In a sense yes, and in a sense no," he answered.

"What do you mean by that?"

"The Hive are comprised of individuals, yes? They are separate from each other, yet not completely individual. I believe this transmitter links every Hive unit to the same hive mind. What I'm saying is, in a manner of speaking, the Hive are the mainframe. As it is no longer as it used to be during the Golden Age, but one of potentially many channels of operation for the hive mind."

"Talk about sharing a brain," Lukos jested.

"That is incorrect, Guardian Chorvo. You're looking at it in the wrong light. You see individuals operating with a shared and simplistic mind. In fact, it's more like a vast and advanced consciousness that operates through a network of thousands if not millions of outlets, accumulating experience and knowledge from what these transmitters record and relay back to the hive mind," Petros explained to us in a matter-of-fact tone.

"This hive mind is collecting the information experienced with each individual unit through these transmitters?" Selana murmured, peering at the object in the dead Thrall's brain.

"Yes, but the devices are not simply one-way transmitters. They are receivers as well. I presume the information gathered from Hive units is processed and relayed back to the units themselves."

"And that means what?" Lukos asked. But the gravity of it already set in with me.

"With this systematic procedure of relaying information to the hive mind and receiving the processed information, this effectively allows the Hive to become more intelligent as they experience any and every kind of stimuli that proves useful to the source."

"They get smarter," Lukos whispered under his breath, growing quiet.

"Not only that, but these devices were surgically implanted in the Hive. Who or what is responsible for that, I don't know, but these objects operate more as a means of communication. In a sense, they serve as an extension to the brain, the organ responsible for all bodily actions. I believe that's why it has been preserved. So that this device can operate through it and control the organism in measures incapable of the brain alone."

"Control?" Selana queried, raising her eyes to the Ghost.

"Yes, control," Petros paused. "This specimen has been the only one I've conducted an examination on in this manner, so I cannot say with complete certainty with the rest of the Hive's many types, but the Thrall's origins are identifiable."

"Origins?" I asked him, already overwhelmed with the information that had come to light, and fearing what Petros might say next.

"Correct. With this revelation, I have learned why we didn't see evidence of the victims of the Collapse. The Thrall. They're human. Well, formerly so."

"You're joking," Lukos tried to say behind a laugh, although noticeably worried himself.

"No, the evidence is irrefutable. The brain is human in nature, as was the physiology prior to the alterations it experienced. As I said, this device operates through the brain. Therefore it works through all of its functions as well. I can only reason that while some remain completely functional, others are suppressed for the purpose of creating the most efficient fighting machine. The reason the body appears as it does is due to the fact that this device has pushed the threshold of biological homeostasis, allowing the body to produce higher levels of the required commands and chemicals to sustain and supply the body's operations. Perhaps other foreign compounds or objects were implanted as well to induce a radical corruption of the human biology and physiology, like this singular black matter that occupies the volume of the body. Either way, the hard calcium based exoskeleton, animalistic behavior, and altered physicality are results of the exceptionally exceeded levels of typical human homeostasis."

"Are they alive?" Lukos asked quietly.

Petros glanced at him sitting on the nearest bench, "Define 'alive'. The brain is indeed functioning at full capacity, if not surpassing its natural limitations, likely through the electrical stimulations produced by this transmitter, but whoever these people were are long dead. The Hive are nothing more than vestiges of who they were."

We all stared at the corpse with a strange, but understandable, measure of compassion. These people didn't ask for this. I studied the pitiful remains of a person who had hopes and dreams; desires and goals. This person probably had a family and dear friends, but now he or she was nothing but a shell stolen for the purpose of some sick campaign, whoever was behind it. I couldn't imagine what kind of agonizing pain they suffered, but I didn't want to pessimistically dwell on it and hoped that their "deaths" were quick and merciful.

"We need to get out of here," I said, breaking the silence.

"Agreed, Guardian Katenos," Petros chimed, studying each member of the team.

I watched Selana and Lukos have difficulty peeling their eyes from the Thrall, but waited for them to walk ahead of me. I stepped backward, still resting my respectful gaze on the person who once was, and then turned away. Although it was hard to swallow the fact that their forgotten memory was tarnished, it was a comfort to know that whoever they were was gone. That would make it easier to combat them as we made our escape.

"Kaeneth's healed and sealed up?" I asked Selana.

"He is. The seal's not the strongest, but will last long enough in the short exposure to the vacuum," she assured me with a whisper. I could tell she was still shocked with the details Petros laid on us about the Hive. It gave me even more drive to get us off of this rock.

"Extracting won't be easy with the Hive controlling the mainframe's systems," I informed my team, preparing them for the possibly grueling escape from Menia.

"More difficult than simply walking out, indeed," Petros replied. "But not as laborious as you presume. I still have access to the systems, and although I'll face much more imposing resistance within, I can still tap into the functions of the space station. Keep in mind those security modules are still installed. They will prove useful in our evacuation."

"I love ya', ya' annoying piece o' scrap," Kaeneth exhaled heartily. "Get us the hell out o' here, and back ta' the City, old friend."

"Are you ready, Fireteam Shachal? I doubt you will have very many opportunities to prepare en route," Petros asked us at the locked exit.

I glanced at each of my comrades, all of which acknowledged me with the most confident of gestures. Taking a deep breath first, I turned to Ghost, "Open the door, Petros. We're going home."


	20. Chapter 20: Warden

Chapter 20: Warden

"Be sure to take us through the shortest path to the _Volframio_," I ordered Petros, following the arrogant beacon of light beside my sprinting teammates.

From ahead of soft streams of silver light trailing before us, he responded in his usual manner, "Of course, Guardian Katenos. As capable as I am with infiltrating software, I was not programmed for combat. If for my sake at the very least, I require your assistance in extracting me from Menia just as much as you need my aid in order to evacuate all of you quickly and safely."

"Thanks for caring so much," Lukos interjected, leading our team's broad line twisting through mostly black passages lit only by dull reflections following us through the passages' walls.

"You're most welcome," Petros sarcastically beeped. "My sincerity is matched only by my concern for your welfare, Guardian Chorvo."

Kaeneth laughed, "Even in light o' all this, ya're still that same old can that trash spews out o', Petros."

In typical fashion of the easily offended Ghost, his lights dimmed and his velocity jumped momentarily, "We are nearing a primary shipping passage. It was utilized for transporting supplies via both importation and exportation. It should be a suitable change of pace compared to these halls by offering a larger space to move in."  
"And it's the shortest route?" I asked, wondering if we were going to reach our ship any sooner that way than the paths I was already accustomed to running through.

"Must all of you constantly question my competence and capability?" he spouted angrily. "Of course it is. I wasn't created yesterday."

Admittedly, our circumstances weren't fit for it, but I smiled in response to his outburst. It was a relief to know that he wanted out of here just as badly as we wanted to. And with that kind of motivation, that's all I needed to convince myself that we would succeed in escaping. "No hurt in making sure."

"There is hurt, Guardian Katenos. Sometimes I wonder why I continue to accompany all of you. My processors suffer more strain listening to you than anything else I have ever done."  
"'Cause ya' care," Kaeneth joked. "Your home will always be with Shachal."

"Be that as it may, I'm not one to ask for anything; at least not often. Please refrain from irritating me so," Petros replied and subsequently paused as if his attention was diverted. "Contacts ahead. It appears as if they won't engage you, Fireteam Shachal. Perhaps you can initiate a preemptive strike."

"You can count on that," Lukos said as if smirking.

"How far?" I asked the Ghost.

"Approximately one hundred feet. Our arrival at the transport corridor will not go unmet," Petros answered, beginning to decelerate.

"Want me ta' hitch ya' a ride?" Kaeneth asked him while maintaining his pace. "I know ya' hate doing it, but we can't afford ta' have ya' take a piece o' shrapnel ta' the eye."

The Ghost groaned reluctantly, "I have no choice, do I?"

"Not really," the veteran replied impatiently.

"No measure of discomfort can be worthy of comparison. It's so constricting," Petros sighed before his body began to dematerialize into nothing but a small and smooth oblong sphere with geometrical faces hardly noticeable amidst his diminishing trails of light.

Kaeneth snatched Petros' shell and stored him in his belt, "Don't get too comfortable. It's going ta' be a bumpy ride, ma' friend."

_"I anticipate as much,"_ the Ghost murmured through our team's comms.

I glanced at Kaeneth, "Can he still operate at full capacity while in that state?"

He didn't have a chance to answer when Petros interrupted, _"Although occupying this indescribably discomforting space, I assure you I can. And I can still hear you as well, Fireteam Shachal. Just do your jobs and I will do mine."_

The gurgling snarls and high pitched shrieks beyond began to reach my ears, and I set my full focus on the most demanding of attentions. Most of the reports I had heard of involving the Hive detailed them making seemingly random voyages to Earth's Wilderness and attacking anyone, whether Guardian, Fallen, or Cabal. But their tomb ships often brought only enough forces that ultimately resulted in a dismissal with a wave of a hand. That wasn't the case here. I had a newfound respect for the kind of threat that the Hive posed. And that would be the least that I would want the City to accept when we were debriefed later.

They were an intimidating multitude of beings that I couldn't afford to underestimate, but at the same time, I felt like we had the advantage now. I realized they worked us into complacency earlier. The weak security measures. The lack of inhabitation. Even Menia's atmospheric pressurization systems. It was all organized to make us comfortable enough to divide our forces to become easier to eliminate with overwhelming odds. But we managed well, even having been split up for the duration. More than likely, they learned from those experiences, but the one thing I kept coming back to was the fact that they hadn't fought us as a whole unit yet. Although it exhausted me of some of my stamina, I was able to neutralize a Knight and dozens of his weaker counterparts without much of a fight. And that was practically a battle I fought on my own. With Shachal as a whole, all we had to do was stay sharp, stick together, and keep progressing forward. We would eventually get back to the _Volframio_. I knew what kind of resistance we faced, and I knew what kind of opposition we would answer with. I was confident. We would win.

"Activate night vision," I ordered my team without much more than a whisper. My comrades complied and we all succumbed to the dense darkness simultaneously. I continued to follow the path we had been set on since our rendezvous with Kaeneth and Petros, feeling my fingertips pulsate and my chest fill with air and expend the regulated breaths.

Then we emerged from the tight-quartered passage's exit and ran into a large corridor. It's girth and height were far more expansive than any other area we had visited thus far, including the armory. With that, its volume was filled with more Hive than we had ever crossed paths with yet. I didn't know there would be this many. I was halfway mesmerized with the hundreds upon hundreds of eyes aggressively snapping to us with contorted twists of their heads and bodies before tightly shouldering "Hail of Fire", pulling the trigger and fanning its scorching breath into the ocean of long desecrated remains of people. It was time to finally put these bodies to rest, and my team joined me in the display of carnage.

The cries that followed weren't shrieks of pain or fear. They were empty; devoid of being. It was as if they went to their graves still hungering for a singular purpose; bringing us to our tortured demises. I cringed at the sound and felt my once pulsing skin crawl as if winter's cruel fingers caressed its icy claws along my arms and back. But that wasn't meant to last.

Unable to effectively follow them in the face of all the chaos, I watched as a handful of Thrall disappeared amidst the hail of our bullets. As I continued to hose my LMG into the waves and waves of Thrall starting to pile up at our feet, I tried to locate the fleeing Thrall, but to no avail. I didn't find them. They found us. Half a dozen of them, having crept on the surrounding walls and ceiling overhead, dropped around us and immediately squealed with drawn out, earsplitting screams. Even with noise canceling acoustics built into our helmets, I knew undoubtedly that none of us had heard such a deafening sound as our gunfire either ceased entirely or lost its aim when we recoiled from the stunning, unmatched volume that left our aching ears ringing.

"Close your eyes!" Selana shouted, drawing her brightening hand up just above her head, a blinding purple luminescence growing rapidly in her partially enclosed fingers. I swung my head down and away from her and squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the light to still penetrate my pupils through my eyelids. And it did. It was nearly as bad as the screeching cries of the Thrall, but when I peered up after the event, the Hive had been blinded by Selana's manipulation of the Nova Bomb. The flare, our saving grace, gave us a miniscule, but most welcome, moment to readjust our position, flanks, and aims.

Lukos and Kaeneth had withdrawn their knives and first began by cutting so deeply into the nearest Thrall responsible for our dazed conditions that the creatures' heads barely hung onto their shoulders after the damage was exacted. But even so, it took us a second to gather our vision and balance back. I knew we didn't have the time to wait to regain complete sensory function, so I pulled on the trigger again with a heavy finger, trying to clear a path for our escape. I watched as my ammo counter dwindled before forcing my body to its limits.

"Stay close!" I yelled before throwing my weapon around my back and launching myself to the right with a powerful bound that resulted in a crushing blow in the likeness of a lightning bolt splitting earth. Without any resistance, the Thrall at the epicenter were tossed into their counterparts behind. I turned momentarily to witness that the gap I created was already beginning to close swiftly. I groaned again as I bolted back a few steps and began to unleash a tempest of bone breaking punches, elbows, and kicks that crippled the Hive trying to separate me from my team.

My three companions started toward my position at a sprint, Lukos trailing behind as he swirled around the slashing Thrall like an untouchable mist that dispersed at every attempted clasp and claw, gashing every vital tendon, muscle, and organ with the pin-point precise swings of his devastating karambits. He approached us as he fought and evaded with the combined use of his knives and revolver, effectively and accurately holstering, sheathing, and continuously withdrawing all three of his tools with amazing speed when the situation demanded it.

I was shocked with his accuracy and comfort, but as admirable as his skills were, he wasn't going to clear the whole room out. So I closed the gap between us, dispatching the opposition in my own, less graceful, but equally destructive way. Contact was reestablished as we then moved toward the nearest of several massive security doors.

"Petros, can you shut these doors behind us?" I hastily asked as I battled.

_"I can close any of these, but it will take a moment,"_ he responded.

"Make it fast! We'll combat them best if we can cordon off a portion of them at a time!" I commanded him.

"Better make it faster than that! They're bringing backup!" Kaeneth shouted.

I looked behind us, over the heads of the crowd of Thrall and watched as dozens of Sentries, several Knights, and a Sorcerer emerged from the black shadows at the opposite end of the transport corridor.

"Hurry, Petros!" I ordered as the reinforcements charged for us from the back of the swarm of Thrall. Careless for their inferiors, the stampede of Knights crushed many of the Thrall underfoot as the Sentries and Sorcerer followed behind.

_"I'm working as fast as I can,"_ Petros remarked from his shell.

My nerves were on fire as the Knights approached ever faster as we sluggishly attempted to distance ourselves from the rapidly closing gap. And then I saw the two foot thick doors release from their docks and started to slowly slide toward each other on their tracks. A handful of the Knights and Sentries passed through the closing doors between us, compensating for the delay by dispersing throughout the crowd and approaching us again from several fronts. Just after the thin Sorcerer hovered through the small gap between the security doors, I stepped forward, prepared to test myself against multiple Knights. I started to draw out the Light that I possessed to combat our assailants, but I doubled over when a sharp pain shot through my torso. The clang from the closing metal echoed, preventing me from hearing the steps that approached from behind me.

"Stand back. You've overworked yourself," Selana said in an authoritative manner.

"I can manage," I struggled to say through my throbbing body.

"You can. Cover me," she said to me with a clear, demanding tone. "Lukos, you too."

Every fiber of my being was opposed to her suggestive comment, but I hated to admit that I couldn't safely use my abilities for the remaining duration of the operation. She didn't say another word and left me to watch her advance the frontlines. I was always used to her chilling cool appearance, but I was hypnotized when her armor glowed with a soft but glorious silver-white light, and rays shined from every face of her body. She didn't run to the battle. She walked. But after a few short seconds, Selana was airborne and like flames hungry for air, purple orbs immediately filled her palms, their flares raw and free. But then the fiery wisps on the Nova Bombs suffocated and became contained when she swept her hands forward and several small spheres lined along her arms and the source of energy in her hands warped into two swords of burning violet.

I briefly lost sight of her when she flew around the containment area between us and the shut security doors at an astonishing speed and even more shocking maneuverability, slashing at the many occupants with the void energy blades she wielded in hand. With ease, her swords cleaved through all of the Knights' earth-like armor. The residue of her blades' energy lingered on the wounds like cinders of lavender flames purifying the corrupted corpses.

This sent the surviving Hive into upheaval, and the furious units opened fire on her in the air. Selana evaded their attacks with swift, but graceful spins, and swept her arms forward, sending the miniature Nova Bombs floating just above her arm into the clusters of Sentries and Thrall. We opened fire on them when they turned their complete attention away from us and attacked Selana, but in our attempt to do so, the Sorcerer dove in at us from the dark ceiling above. He howled disturbingly as if calling for something, and from his outstretched gnarled and bony hands, a hard light emitted with a singular burst and blinded us. For the first time, I heard a Hive that sounded like it had a personality as I listened to the unseen Sorcerer cackle lowly when it sent arcs of electricity into our bodies.

I reeled over from the gripping pain coursing through my body when it finally subsided with a sizzling whisper and pop. Next to the also fatigued Lukos and Kaeneth, we pulled ourselves up to see the Sorcerer's exoskeleton contort dramatically as a strange steam poured from two sides of its grotesque skull. An intense bright mauve light spread from the small wounds on its head and slowly disintegrated its face before the creature fell from its aerial position to the cold steel floor. I glanced to the woman floating above the empty quadrant with a light gradually vanishing from her hands. Selana descended and out of the air began stepping toward us on the ground.

"Is everyone okay?" she sighed, looking each of us over closely.

"I'd be better back on the ship," Lukos replied.

_"Fireteam Shachal, I would recommend you move quickly,"_ Petros said with urgency.

Kaeneth groaned, "Can't spare us a few seconds, ya' wee little pebble?"

_"Not one. All of you need to depart immediately,"_ he shot back.

I glanced at each of my teammates, confused with his concern, "What's the problem, Petros?"

_"Have you lost any semblance of sense in the last few minutes? Do you not remember what I said about the Hive? They're tapping into the security systems of this transport passage as we speak. They'll reverse the locks soon. I'm performing to my maximum parameters to keep them at bay, but it's difficult trying to guard so many points of entry. So I repeat, get out of here now."_

The information was fresh, but still a new reality I hadn't completely wrapped my mind around, and the adrenaline of the latest battle pulled my attention away from the Hive's vast capabilities. I gritted my teeth thanks to the aching pain in my body, but I shot up to my feet and although slow, I led my team further down the large corridor, hoping Petros could hold on just a little longer so we could be clear of our pursuers long enough to reach Menia's exit. The thought of another fight in our condition was out of the question. All of us were exhausted, most of us battered, and half of us low on ammunition. We trudged on to the next of the transport corridor's checkpoints; another set of the solid security doors parted in wait of our pass. But we heard its locks disengage and they started to shift together.

"What the hell is this?" Lukos muttered.

_"Hurry!"_

I couldn't care less about the pain, and started to run toward the metal slabs seeming to close faster than the last set. My heart sank when I realized we wouldn't make it in time. When the four of us reached it, the doors were mere inches from shutting in our faces, and a black and silent room swallowed our breaths after the clang died amidst the shadows.

"Damn it! Again!" Lukos cursed. "I hate the Hive."

"Calm down," I ordered, my breathing now audible. "Petros, find the next suitable path."

A pause followed before the Ghost answered, _"There are no other passages connected to this one. In our current quadrant at least, we're on a linear course. The shortest route is the one we're on."_

So we either had to try to get through this door somehow, or go back to the enemy we were running from. "Can you get through these?"

_"I won't lie to you, Guardian Katenos. I'm not positive, but I will attempt to. I want to inform you all that the reason they were able to access this series so easily is due to the fact that I put all of my focus into keeping the previous security doors locked. If I manage to get through these it will take some time."_

"Do it," I exhaled forcefully.

_"There was one set of doors we passed now between us and the Hive that I didn't lock down, but I will, given the likely possibility they will breach the firewalls I erected in order to lock the checkpoint currently holding them back. I don't know how long it will last, so prepare yourselves accordingly, Guardians."_

I leaned against the checkpoint's doors and started to reload "Hail of Fire" when I heard a distant echo of groaning metal and shifting gears. Petros wasn't wasting any time by placing another temporary barrier between us and the Hive. After loading one of my last two drums, I did my best to relax myself and catch my breath. There was a possibility we weren't done fighting, as much as I wanted it to be over. I glanced at my companions who were quietly sitting against the door as well, staring into the deep black of our previous location. At that point, I simply listened whilst keeping a strong grip on my weapon.

"Do you think we'll actually succeed in escaping?" Selana asked me out of the nearby shadows and sat next to me.

I turned to her, "We will."

"What makes you so sure?" Selana asked again, resting her head against the metal backrest.

"It's what we do best. We survive," I murmured into Menia's still air.

"I prefer 'live'," Selana replied, resting her head on my shoulder.

I lowered mine and smiled, "Then that's what we'll do." I gripped her hand and held it in the gloom. She sighed with relief and squeezed back.

I started to speak, but was interrupted by a rumble resonate throughout our quadrant of the shipping passage. I picked myself up, as did the rest of my teammates, and we scanned the area for the source of the booms sounding like an earthquake. The frequency was sparse, and with the echoes glancing off of all the steel surrounding us, we couldn't determine the epicenter's location, but I kept my eye fixated on the black we had just trekked through. I could hardly see it, but I overlooked the face of the somewhat distant set of security doors. There was nothing inside with us, and the vibrations had stopped altogether. It couldn't necessarily be considered relaxed, but I felt less tense as I turned toward the gate obstructing our path.

Then a piercing crash thundered, and I spun back to the darkness I was just staring into, activating my night vision. Though the blasts were drawn out in between another, the thuds shook the area so much the vibrations made my body tremble. The two foot thick doors ahead were morphing from the tremendous stress of the blows that struck the other side. The dents were deep, and soon the metal started to shear and split from the overwhelming power separating them from each other.

And then I saw something. An indiscernible silhouette shifted from behind the small window now created at the middle of the twisted and torn steel. As I watched, two reddish eyes passed over the opening and glared right at me with a hellish stare.

"Petros, get through that door now," I whispered, still holding the locked eye contact with the creature at the other end of the quadrant.

_"I'm working as hard as I possibly can, but this resistance resembles nothing I've ever faced before. It's as if they have adapted in response to my programming within the mainframe. Breaking through will be much more difficult than I anticipated,"_ an aggravated Petros replied, racing the clock.

"What in the hell is that thing?" Lukos muttered, captivated with the same sight I couldn't pull my eyes from.

"Something that needs ta' die," Kaeneth said sternly, reloading his "Talons".

"Load up, Shachal!" I commanded, pulling my LMG up and aiming it at our patient foe. Lukos and Selana also equipped their weapons, fed new magazines and moon clips into their respective firearms, and took aim. The beast beyond our failing blockade huffed as if utterly amused, and the pair of red lights disappeared. A short pause ensued before swifter strikes felled the doors ahead, and massive limbs latched onto the jagged steel and pulled the metal apart like it was nothing but a moderately thick sheet of fabric.

I believed that all of us were wanting to gasp in fear and awe at the display of amazing strength, but the realization of another battle gripped us in ways it never had before, and we simply stared in disbelief as the window continued to gape open more and more like a constrictor's jaw. And then the steel squealed and groaned as a behemoth of unbelievable proportions barreled through the doors, a crude, gargantuan weapon nearly as tall as it was dragging behind, shrill scrapes stabbing our eardrums. One side of the tool bore a wide axe blade, and the weight on the opposite side of the head was like that of a heavy, pointed hammer. The beast's wheezing breaths were shallow, but very low in pitch, and like a statue, it's head remained absolutely unmoving when staring at any one of us for a prolonged period of time. And then it blinked, which initiated its terrifying rampage with a croaking growl that bellowed out from deep within its stocky black torso.

The Hive monster, at an incredible speed for its immensity, swung its axe down toward Lukos, who managed to narrowly miss the sweep by diving to his side. We all opened fire upon the titanic Hive with everything we had. Eager to see my ammo counter reach zero, I didn't hold up on the trigger, this way I knew I would have put 80 rounds of superheated, high penetration rounds into its grotesque body. A fitting punishment for anything that risked our safe evacuation. After a few seconds, confident that every bullet hit their huge mark, my hold on the trigger loosened after it resulted in a short series of clicks. I took a fraction of a second to study the creature standing before its execution squad. It was virtually unharmed. Most of our ammunition glanced off of its dense armor. I was stunned; even almost disbelieving entirely. Had "Hail of Fire" met its match? I only saw a handful of minor wounds that were caused by my weapon on the Hive's body. As if reading my mind, the behemoth slowly turned its head toward me and a deep and unnatural chuckle was let out as it swung its weapon horizontally toward me.

Selana jumped, using her glide to give her plenty of clearance to evade, and just before the hammer end of the Hive's weapon reached me, I forced my body to exceed its limitations by drawing out my Ward shield and placing the multi-layered barrier between me and the obsidian-like tool of destruction. Although the pain was unbearable, I stood my ground, and less than a second after I brought the shield up, the hammer head struck its rounded face with a tremendous, momentous force, launching me backwards and into the air. Clear of the blow, I barely managed to regain my composure while airborne and landed heavily on my feet, keeping my eye on the colossus. It swung its body with the wide sweep of its weapon and temporarily showed its back.

"Lukos! With me!" Kaeneth shouted, his twin pistols beginning to glow red.

Lukos followed suit and the two Hunters blinked to either side of the giant outside of its range in midair, their secondary weapons shimmering in gold and red. As the mammoth of a Hive neared its 360 degree turn, the transport hall erupted into a brilliant, fiery display of purifying annihilation. The powerfully enhanced bullets fired from their homes and into the thick plates of armor in an explosive fashion, starting to fracture the enormous Hive's hardened body.

It howled with ferocity as I sped toward it while reloading my weapon with my last drum. Selana threw a couple of Nova Bombs toward the beast from above, the purple explosive flashes crashing on its head and shoulders. "Hail of Fire" was locked and loaded as I slid to the giant's right flank, opening fire on the Hive's enormous hand holding its medieval-like weapon. But my efforts were vain as it didn't loosen its grip and swatted me to the side with the back of its equipped fist. I slammed into the ground several feet away and instantly rolled over to see Lukos had just been pinned down against the floor by the goliath's left arm.

Selana landed just ahead of the hold on our teammate and pointed her two forefingers at the monster's face, two small amethyst projectiles screamed into its eyes, which had it roaring ferociously as the energy burned them. Then both Kaeneth and I charged after the creature. Kaeneth, having reached it first, ran up its left arm holding Lukos down, his weapons beginning to glow yet again. As I reached the Hive's right side, I watched as Kaeneth fired nearly fifty rounds of fully automatic gunfire into the behemoth's hideous face, forcing it to free Lukos. As I skidded underneath the beast, Kaeneth leapt off of its shoulder. With a clear shot, I charged everything I could possibly muster into my right arm and legs, launched myself upward, and slammed my uppercut into the creature's square chin, sending it backward and away from my team.

As I crashed back onto the floor, I rose to see the creature collect itself ahead and pierce me with a stare that was very personal. I turned away for but a second to help Kaeneth pick an infuriated Lukos up.

"Ready to finish this?" I asked my team through heavy exhalations.

Lukos simply glared at the colossus as Kaeneth replied, "Aye, more than ready."

I glanced at Selana, "You're going to have to be okay with this."

She struggled accepting what I had to do, but nodded, "I know. I'll be ready."

I decided not to respond, and turned back to our foe who hadn't removed its cold gaze from me. It snorted and made long bounds to us, rearing its axe to the side. We waited for only a second before Selana shot backward and propelled herself from the obstructed doors toward the Hive, throwing a single, but massive, Nova Bomb into its face and chest. She ended her maneuver at the other side of the creature and waited for my call. I sidestepped as the determined beast swung its blade toward the rest of us. Kaeneth ducked and somersaulted backward as Lukos jumped high into the air and took hold of the Hive's weapon and crawled up its arm with one of his karambits in hand.

"Selana! Lukos first!" I shouted from the other side of the Hive. I glanced at Kaeneth position himself nearest to our objective with his sniper rifle at the ready. Then Lukos' body became engulfed in black and gold, only the lightning crackling on his body and karambit were far more potent than they were previously. The Hunter made a mad flurry of sweeping slashes at the beast's head, shattering the armor containing its brain. As Lukos jumped away from its face, I started sprinting toward the Hive giant, "Now me!"

The pain hadn't ebbed in the slightest, but I felt my body fuel with strength, and I leapt from the ground and toward the giant, my body enveloped in Havoc's Light. While in midair, I erected a stationary Ward shield, which I pushed myself from and toward the dazed Hive feet first. At a velocity it couldn't react to in its condition, I drop kicked the creature's head with all of my strength. Like a massive bullet, I sent the weakened Hive backward, its heavily guarded face now splintered severely. As I landed just before the Hive growling shallowly, I shouted, "Kaeneth!"

Selana's Radiance imbued Kaeneth's body with a golden flame, and instead of using his twin pistols, he was prepared to use Golden Gun with "Finger of God". The veteran Guardian only waited for a second before cursing the beast, and fired a freakishly powerful anti-material round into the Hive's skull. It glared at him, but its eyes darkened as a hole glowing with a gray luminescence brightened from the wound. I eased my way backward and watched as the mountainous giant crashed into the floor, motionless and quiet. The battle was over.

I did my best not to, but I had overexerted myself far too much this mission. As if crippled, I was overpowered by gravity's influence and fell to the floor with an unimaginably excruciating pain coursing through me. Each of my teammates ran to my side, Selana being the closest already had her healing aura flowing from her palms. The sensations of my overexertion were too overwhelming for me to even sense the aura emitted from Selana's hands.

"He's in critical condition," she said, putting more of her energy into helping me recover. "I'm sorry, Tharsos. But I have to heal you on the move. It'll hurt."

All I could manage was a single, weak nod.

"Pick him up," Selana told the team, beginning to help me to my feet.

"Lukos, take his right side. Ma' right shoulder's dislocated and probably fractured. I won't be able ta' hold anything with it," Kaeneth murmured in swallowed pain.

"Okay," Lukos replied, throwing my arm up over his shoulders. "Looks like the shoe's on the other foot, huh, big guy?"

_"Let me out,"_ Petros requested. _"While you were combating the Paladin, the Hive's resistance on the checkpoint was neglected. I have broken through the doors and will lead you to the exit. But we must make haste."_

Kaeneth strained to remove the Ghost's shell from his belt and tossed it into the air. Petros materialized and without delay whipped around to the now opening security doors.

"I'll follow you two and heal Tharsos as we move," Selana informed the Hunters holding me. I clenched my jaw as my comrades carried me. The constant aching coursing through me was more perceptible than anything I had ever felt in my body.

As we traipsed through the dark transport track, I was slowly regaining some of my strength and began to assist in the journey by walking with the support of my teammates at my sides. When the pain began to become somewhat more tolerable, my senses returned; I could feel my heart beat, Selana's restorative aura, Lukos' and Kaeneth's strong holds on my forearms. And then I heard a strange groaning noise echo from behind us. I was too curious, and even concerned with what it was more so. My feet stopped and I shifted my head to the side, the Hunters holding me up turning as well.

"I wasn't the only one who heard that?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"No," Lukos muttered, scanning the darkness.

I switched to my HUD's night vision and observed the line behind us, only to see it was empty. The Paladin's body was gone.

"Where is he?" Lukos asked, on edge already.

"I don't care enough ta' wait and figure that out," Kaeneth whispered. "Let's get the hell out o' here, kiddos."

We all spun back around and forced ourselves to quicken our paces to the lobby we had first entered when coming to Menia.

"We cannot fail to note that the remainder of the multitude of Hive we encountered previously didn't accompany the Paladin in your battle. There is the possibility that we may stumble upon them again during our evacuation, Fireteam Shachal," Petros said, zipping forward and examining us. "So stay alert."

"How are you holding up back there, Doc?" Lukos asked, hefting my arm behind his head.

"The treatment is working, but slowly," she sighed. The wear from using her healing ability had become harder to notice, but the burden was present nonetheless.

"Just another thirty seconds, Selana," I said. "I'll move on my own, and then you rest."

"I don't think you understand the severity of your con-"

"I do. I'm telling you that I'll move on my own and you'll rest in thirty seconds. We need to move faster anyway," I interrupted, dismissing her objections.

A pause preceded her reluctant response, "Understood."

I hated giving her the impression that her opinion didn't matter to me, but this particular matter wasn't up for debate. It was an order. The remaining occupants of Menia, the disappearance of the Paladin, our condition as a team; we couldn't linger here. We would surely die if we did. Petros seemed to be familiar with it, but I had never heard of a Paladin before. I thought the Hive military hierarchy ended at the Knight and Sorcerer. But I was proven wrong in the worst of fashions. The last battle was, without question, the most difficult I had been in during my time as a Guardian. For a while, I wasn't sure if we would be able to defeat the Paladin. If we were physically fresh and fully supplied, I think we would have managed better, but it still required a grueling joint effort. Having been slapped in the face with the existence of a Hive type far stronger than a Knight, I started to question if the Hive hierarchy stopped at the Paladin. The thought was a terrifying one. Even a small company of those alone would need a force of extensive proportions to effectively combat them. And even then, the casualties would be excessive.

I stopped and removed my arms from Lukos and Kaeneth, "Time to move individually."

Kaeneth favored his shoulder and walked ahead of me with Lukos next to him. I glanced at Selana looking at me. She was obviously against my decision, but I motioned for her to walk ahead, to which she complied silently.

"Petros, bring the primary systems on the _Volframio _up now. It may be a heated extraction."

"Agreed, Guardian Katenos. Fuelling thrusters. External defenses and internal pressurization systems are on standby."

Despite our statuses, we all set off at a strong run. At the end of the transport corridor, we veered off into one of the secondary passages at its first checkpoint, a path that Petros assured us connected to the entrance we used to enter Menia. We were back into the close quarters we had been deprived of for the previous stretch of our escape. And with it, the all too familiar calls of the Hive regulars rang through the hallways guiding us to our haven. They were closing in rapidly. Faster than we were reaching our ship.

"At this rate, we'll be overrun," Lukos said, his gaze darting about our area.

"Just keep going," I demanded, pushing him forward.

The turns were frequent and the straights were short, but we emerged from the side hall and into the first passage we traveled after reaching the station's first personnel checkpoint. To our right, silhouettes of Thrall, Sentries, and Knights charged after us. To our left lied the doors to our freedom.

"Run! Petros, get those doors open!" I commanded, taking up the rear of our line.

"Already engaged," Petros informed me, with lights flickering from overhead and the first door ahead shifting open. By the time we were through it, the Hive were only mere tens of feet away. The Sentries began to open fire on us with their cannons of rifles. As soon as they entered range, I couldn't risk the chance of one of my less armored teammates taking a round, and became a wall for the Hive to crash upon. I stretched a Ward shield across the breadth of the hallway and fed it with enough electricity to alter its ions, effectively creating a solid wall like I did before. Just beyond my outstretched hands and barrier, I was face to face with our Hive pursuers. They were in a frenzy as they pushed at the shield, resulting in me skidding backward.

"Tharsos!" Selana shouted.

"Get out of here! I'll catch up!" I yelled back. "Get the _Volframio_ ready for takeoff!"

"Son of a bitch!" Lukos cursed. "I'll stay with him, Selana! Take Kaeneth to the ship!"

I couldn't see her reaction, but imagined she acknowledged us, no matter how opposed she most definitely was. Lukos jogged up to me, looked the fiends in the eye and glanced at me. He put his electrically infused hands up toward the Ward shield and pushed on it, which helped stay the Hive's pressing assault.

"When they get clear of the airlock, you need to blink to the other end!" I told him over the shrieks and clawing of the Thrall. "They'll get through your shields and armor too easily."

"What about you?" he asked, struggling against the shield.

"When you get on the ship, I'll tell Selana to focus her Radiance on my shields. I'll make a run for it."

Lukos chuckled and shook his head, "Crazy bastard."

His final word faded out from hearing as the vacuum outside of Menia filled the hall. Petros was keeping the airlock doors open for our escape, but the lack of oxygen didn't seem to have any kind of effect on the Hive assailants.

"Go!" I shouted into the comms.

Lukos hesitated, but leaned back and disappeared from my sight.

"Selana, I need you to enhance my shields with your Radiance. It's the only way I'm going to get out of this alive."

_"Hurry, Tharsos!"_ Selana pled.

I waited until the shield levels on my HUD reach the maximum level of enhancement, and launched an ordinary Fist of Havoc into the Ward shield. I didn't wait for the effects of the Havoc Cannon and snapped around and sprinted down the hallway, the only sound reaching my ears were my labored, cadent breaths. It was safe to assume I managed to distance myself, even if just a little, from the pursuit, but I felt the punch of the Sentries' weapons strike my shields without remorse. Some were direct hits, while others glanced and flicked off of them, but my defensive levels were decreasing rapidly in the straight and clear corridor.

_"Where the hell are you, Tharsos?!"_ Lukos called into the comms.

I decided not to reply, and put every ounce of oxygen I could breathe into aiding my flight.

_"They're higher than normal, but his vitals suggest he's alive,"_ Petros told the team.

My shields were at critical levels when I reached the end of the airlock and sprinted onto the surface of the Moon. The blistering heat waves emitted from the _Volframio's_ thrusters lit the extraction point and I pumped everything I could into getting to the hatch. Lukos was at the base of it, and fired his sniper rifle into my chasers, the blasts quiet in the midst of the stifled chaos.

_"He's here!"_ Lukos yelled into the comms. _"Get this bird out of here, Petros!"_

The _Volframio_ started to ascend from the ground as Lukos grabbed my arm and pulled me onto the hatch and into the passenger hold. The Sentries below, relentless, continued to fire at us, but to no avail as the ship's outer defenses created a bubble that deflected every shot like specks of dust on a window. I only removed my weary eyes from Menia when the hatch started to seal shut. I faced the center of the hold to see Selana staring at me swaying at the hatch.

My gaze was interrupted for a second when Lukos placed a firm hand on my shoulder and walked toward the armory without a word. I followed his leave before turning back to Selana, "Petros, is the cabin pressurized?"

_"Affirmative, Guardian Katenos,"_ the Ghost answered.

I stepped forward, unlatched my helmet and dropped it. When I reached my destination, I carefully removed Selana's helmet and looked into her silver eyes before tossing it on one of the seats. Her attempt to speak was cut short. With a passion I can only attribute to my recent experiences of fear and uncertainty, I kissed her in the privacy of the dimly lit passenger bay. She welcomed it as we embraced each other in the hush and comfort of our vessel's sanctuary. I let out a long breath as I clutched her tightly, my chest shuddering from the mental weight of everything I went through in the last couple of hours. But her hold on me was even stronger. I caressed her smooth hair before pulling away and looking into her eyes, "I told you we would make it."

Selana chuckled, but the single laugh became quiet cries, and tears streamed down her pale, slender cheeks. I brought her to one of the nearest seats and sat her down next to me, holding her until she relieved herself of what torture she had been facing during this mission.

In a matter of a few minutes, Selana had gone to sleep, lying on my shoulder and holding my arm. I sat still in the silent shuttle before contacting Petros through Selana's helmet resting on the seat next to my left, "Take us home, Petros."

_"I will, Guardian Katenos. Rest easy,"_ the Ghost answered somberly, as if he was just as exhausted as we were.

I simply turned the channel off and succumbed to the same slumber the rest of my companions welcomed sooner than I had. Whether that operation was a victory or a defeat was of no importance to me. I fulfilled my personal vow. All of us were going home, and my desire was safe within my grasp.


	21. Chapter 21: Regicide

_Author's Note to Reader: The dialogue structure, although minor, in this chapter is noticeably different. For those who may be having trouble determining why the parentheses are present, let me explain that I don't imagine the particular characters involved in this chapter speaking English (in fact, I don't think it's very practical at all), so the English text bound by the parentheses denotes the translation to whatever language applies._

Chapter 21: Regicide

The very air circulating throughout the ship's enormity was disgusting to be in the presence of. He hated the filth crawling about the battleships, if the vessels could be considered as such any longer. This particular craft was once a praiseworthy memento, but now it was just one of many wretches of disgraced memory home to inferior vermin tarnishing veteran pride. Just a wandering city dragging the weight of humiliating burdens around barren systems. Bearing witness to such weakness stabbed at the dignity of his forefathers' honor. Seniors, females, and infants, all revolting, feeble, and pathetic, blanketed the hundreds of passages' pathways like half-dead victims of a harmless plague. Repulsive kin, better off dead and cast into the oblivion of the galaxy, obstructed the path leading to his destination. A disrespect he didn't take well to.

Dreadnaughts were far more preferable, concerning both environment and occupants. At least their halls prepared for battle weren't crowded with the shameful bodies of the weak and sickly. Only the strongest occupied them. Only the bravest stood proud like their ancient predecessors would have. Now an enforced tradition that couldn't be allowed to die amidst the pitiful swarms of those who had forgotten what it meant to be powerful, it was the soldier's duty to bear the once fleeting remembrance so many failed to cherish in the past several hundred years. The elite were only deserving of the utmost measures of respect. But the fleet was home to indignity. Battlefields were home to the warriors. What they were trying to protect wasn't the present state. It was the restoration of the Tsa'ah's glorious dominion of ancient times. One day, they would restore the honor their ancestors had once defended since their beginnings; no longer slaves to these embarrassing scenes of laughable attempts to survive. This war would be over soon. And at last, their prize would be rewarded to them for their commendable service.

Service. Though born into this lifestyle, the thought of servitude infuriated him. And more so than most of his brethren it seemed. As a youth, he had heard the stories hundreds of times. A god-like force, a presence of tyrannical tendencies, appeared from the heavens and ravaged the Tsa'ah's home world. His elders, long past, had told him as they heard from their elders. For ages, the tales were to be passed on from one generation to the next. It was a declaration of special importance, never allowed to be forgotten. Forced into submission, his ancestors were enslaved by the terrifying and awesome power of this entity. The Fall resulted in most of his forefathers' merciless deaths, and the rest of his people's survivors were proposed with an offer that couldn't be refused. Fight for the one responsible for their near genocide and be rewarded with a new home in exchange for the servitude of war. A home occupied by the force's bitter nemesis.

The native scourge of weaklings call the construct "Traveler". Nothing more was told to his predecessors than kill all of those under its protection and aid in its complete destruction. Then, and only then, would the Tsa'ah be given the planet known as Earth. That and absolute emancipation from their service. For ages, they had fought to that end. The same gesture was extended to the Barzelor when their planet was annihilated, whom of which accepted as well. Only they settled their new home without the resistance the Tsa'ah faced with Earth's current inhabitants. Some foolish Houses once believed they could occupy the planet whilst the humans and their allied abominations and machines lived on its surface. A ridiculous thought indeed. While the human plague still thrived, Earth would never be a home to anyone; just a battleground. Only one of the two forces would ultimately survive to inhabit its lands. The Tsa'ah would prevail victorious after stamping out the disease that managed to cling onto life for so long. The massive warrior grinned maliciously at the realization of that approaching event. The humans had lived on Earth long enough. It was time for the Tsa'ah to reclaim its former honor.

He had grown tired of them referring to his people as "Fallen". Far from it, their ascension was inevitable and their impending assault was only drawing closer. But as the officer, though proud, followed his escorts through the battleship's stifling passages, he observed his kin serve as a pestilence themselves. If anyone of his kind could be considered fallen, it would be these humiliating disgraces that hadn't the respect to present themselves properly before someone of his stature. It seemed only his subordinates understood the value of the Tsa'ah's cause to eliminate the humans and their slumbering defender. It was of no matter, because he would only recognize those who valued their admirable efforts. Few of which would be found amongst the fleet's overpopulated battleships.

As he continued behind the guards, the officer passed a young and wounded Tsa'ah soldier sitting on the floor. Despicable. A grimace formed on his face as he scanned the coward's body. He was healthy enough to fight, but too weak in mind to swallow the meager pain and combat their enemies. Of all the sickness he had happened by countless times before, this was the worst. Scum like this didn't deserve to live, for their cowardice was like a virus. As his counterpart weakly glanced at him with fear, his slack jaw was crushed when a massive foot slammed into his face like a heavy club. The younger of the Tsa'ah fell limp to his side, skull caved in and neck snapped. The escorts simply glanced at the fresh kill, but aside from that, the surrounding ambience and activity hadn't changed. Just one less body taking up space. No resistance would be extended either, for the officer was an Admiral, and more so, he was a terrifyingly ferocious one. Any who dared to challenge his authority would fall victim to a far worse end. What that mattered to the militant forces was trivial. As far as the warriors were concerned, the weak were just as expendable as the officer considered them, save the females and strong-willed youths. Ranks had to be replenished of course, and the most obvious of means was a tool in need of protection and sustenance. If a Tsa'ah was a male and not serving in battle, they were the first to be disposed of. Resources couldn't be expended keeping useless people alive.

"(Sir, the throne room lies just ahead,)" one of the Admiral's escorts said respectfully.

Patience was easily tried with him, so lack of progress updates invoked his wrath just as much as disturbing him. But the thought of such acts were simply dismissed in light of current circumstances. Far more pressing issues riddled the Admiral's mind. As the royal hall's heavily guarded entrance grew closer, the once overcrowded halls became occupied more by the Lord's primary security measures. The Honor Guard of the House of Anguish. All Houses' nobilities had their most loyal servants at their sides, but the House of Anguish, like all else, reigned supreme compared to the other Houses that had united under its banner. Bound only by the command of their Lord, the Honor Guards were some of the most frightening in the Tsa'ah's military. Even as furious as the experienced force was, the Admiral didn't flinch in their presence. A reaction which he caught from some of the Guards upon his arrival. The escorts, two ordinary Captains, left the Admiral with the company and departed back into the corridors full of ignominy. He glanced at the security force form a radial phalanx around him before being led into the presence of the House's formal leader.

Out of the dim hall and into the both naturally and artificially lit throne room, the Admiral observed his empty, but elaborately decorated surroundings yet again. Windows, dense and mighty, made up much of the rounded enclosure's walls. Including the escort, over two dozen Honor Guards defended the Lord. Half of them stood motionless at the base of the semi-circular stairway that led up to his throne, armed well and prepared for anything. The solar system's sun hung far behind the seat itself, shrouding its face and owner in shadow. But as always, the elderly Tsa'ah sat quietly, awaiting the Admiral's arrival.

"(At last, you have answered my call,)" the Lord murmured, two of his wiry hands coming up from his seat's armrests and opening out toward the visitor.

"(I will not spend precious hours of my time to needlessly discuss pointless agendas with you. I hold no remorse for my absences,)" the Admiral responded firmly, retaining his stoic posture amidst the ring of Honor Guards.

"(You find my aims worthless, Sarkaun?)" the noble asked inquisitively, but partly concerned as well.

Sarkaun lifted his already high gaze, "(Do you truly wish to know what I find worthless, Old One?)"

The elder gestured for his answer.

"(The humans are no longer ignorant to our plans to attack their refuge. At the very least, defensive preparations are being made, but I believe they are preparing offensive countermeasures.)"

"(And you believe their efforts will succeed, young Basan'atosh?)" the Lord questioned quietly.

"(No,)" Sarkaun replied, growing upset over the interruption.

"(Then what is it you fear?)"

"(I fear nothing!)" the Admiral roared, immediately alerting the Guards and drawing out their appropriate response.

With weapons raised against the towering officer, the Lord peered at him from the safety of his throne, "(Then tell me, Young One. What is it you desire?)"

"(I want to crush them! Without fail or wait!)" Sarkaun growled, seething with wrath.

"(And we will. It will take time though.)"

A short silence befell them as glares were held, "(Timid. Frail. Under your rule, none of the Tsa'ah's goals will be accomplished. We have spent enough time idly sitting in the shadows. Now is the time to act.)"

"(Do you believe any of this would have been done without my leadership?!)" the Lord snapped at Sarkaun, waving his open hand vigorously before slamming his fist on the throne's armrest. "(Our people have united under my House's seal! They have followed my noble right to guidance! Without me, our people would have remained scattered Houses, bound by conflict and wandering the system aimlessly.)"

"(You are guide solely to those weaklings who litter your pathetic halls outside and die at your door. Keep them, for I have no need. Warriors follow beacons of strength. An attribute which you lost in full long ago, Old One,)" Admiral Sarkaun retaliated.

"(And you think you are the one to lead them?)"

"(Delusional fool. You continue to drive yourself into blind ignorance. You have never led our people. All you have succeeded in doing is making them weak and complacent; content with their pitiful fates. I alone have been a beacon of strength for the Tsa'ah. Were it not for me, our people would still roam the stars unto their utter and embarrassing extinction,)" Sarkaun glared at the shadow sitting atop the broad stairway, defiant and resolute, even surrounded by the swiftly capable Honor Guard.

"(I am leader of the Tsa'ah!)" the Lord declared, pulling his old body up from the chair and staring coldly at Sarkaun.

"(You fail to realize you are nothing but a figurehead who's driven his people further into the depths of destruction and disrepute. Just a curse to the Tsa'ah.)"

"(I am of noble birth!)" the Lord shouted, shaking from the stress his old body could hardly handle.

"(Nobility is dead. The Tsa'ah need a leader. Not an indecisive king rotting with them in drifting graves.)" Sarkaun, without removing his unyielding gaze, stepped forward, only to be impeded by the stubborn Guard.

"(If nobility were dead, I would not be able to kill you with a single command, Basan'atosh.)"

"(Likewise. That is why I am invoking the rite of succession,)" Sarkaun hissed, his tone amused in a twisted fashion.

The Lord's protests ceased and fear gripped his very being. He shuddered uncontrollably as the Admiral ascended the steps and stopped before him, the Guard having let him pass. The menacing warrior stood proud and confident as he looked down upon the feeble noble, "(Draw your sword, Old One.)"

Consumed with terror, the Lord struggled to his feet, took a couple of steps to the left of his throne and withdrew an ornate blade from a slot in a pedestal on the floor. Slowly, he turned to Sarkaun and descended the steps, following his junior to their places on the floor below. Standing in their respective positions at either side of the path in line with the throne, the two Tsa'ah faced each other. Before beginning, Sarkaun chuckled deeply at the sight of the trembling Lord, "(Do you wish the rite having occurred when you were younger? Though you would have died long before your ripe age, you would have held more hope in defeating me than you do now.)"

Though terrified, the Lord managed a weak, but fleeting glare, "(Withdraw your blades, Young One.)"

Satisfying his opponent's truthfully unwanted wishes, Sarkaun removed his twin heat swords from their scabbards and let them rest at his sides, "(Out of respect for your age, I will allow you to make the first strike.)"

Uneasy, but knowing his only chance lied in this presented opportunity, the Lord accepted without indication and lunged after Sarkaun as fast as he could possibly manage in his condition. The signs of his aging were evident as the Admiral simply tossed his swords to the ground, evaded the attack, and struck him with a tightly closed fist. Caught off guard, the Lord lost his weak grip on his weapon and fell to the ground. Sarkaun, pleased with the sight of him crawling to any of the three swords lying around him, watched with cruel delight as he encircled his opponent. With every reach the old Tsa'ah took to grab a tool to defend himself with, Sarkaun gently kicked the objects of hope away from him. The Honor Guard, having formed a large circular phalanx around the one-sided battle, observed attentively. Under order of their people's customs, they were forced to remain impersonal until the victor was made known.

Falling into despair, the Lord pitifully tried for another grasp at his own sword lying nearby. This time Sarkaun let him take hold of his weapon and stand to face him, "(This is the only chance at a dignified death I will give you. Thank me for giving you that undeserved token of respect. Take advantage of it, for the next time you crawl at my feet, I will not hesitate to give you a coward's end.)"

The expression on the Lord's face bore that of an undesired, but fully expected death at the hands of his second-in-command. In a final effort to achieve an unlikely survival, he charged after Sarkaun. As long as it had been since he entered battle with his pride at stake, his final dignified moment was short-lived. With a handful of swift, hand-deflected parries, the ceremonious blade was out of the helpless Lord's grip and thrust through his torso. The hilt itself had already met his chest in less than a second. Blood seeped from the wounds, and a faint, wispy cloud of white hissed quietly from them as well.

"(May your name be forgotten, Old One. The Tsa'ah's age of failure dies with you,)" Sarkaun scowled, twisting the sword in place before pulling it out and kicking the Lord's body to the floor with tremendous force.

After the loud thud's echoes diminished in the royal hall, he turned toward the silent Honor Guard. Some, having served the elderly noble for many years, mourned privately with bowed heads. Others simply stared at the battle's victor, patient and waiting.

"(Behold your new Lord, my brothers! Together, we will achieve our people's age-old dreams of conquest and freedom. Join me in restoring the honor our ancestors defended long ago.)"

Each individual of the Guard snapped to attention and offered the appropriate salutations of respect the successor deserved. As Sarkaun took up his swords and approached the stairway; having only been Lord for a few seconds, he commissioned several orders without vacillation, "(The Chief of the Guard will send for my strongest and most loyal Captain to serve as my second-in-command. Tell him our advanced preparations must hasten. Contact all Houses' Admirals; the fleet must relocate to the gas giant.)"

His servants complied instantly, either following their orders or returning to their posts. Before a squad left his presence, the new Lord stopped them at the deceased senior's body, "(Remove this filth from my sight. Cast his remains into space without tribute. Relocate necessary noncombatant occupants on this vessel to another. Eliminate its waste immediately.)"

As Sarkaun Basan'atosh's Honor Guard carried his commands out, he set his weapons next to the arms of the throne and sat down. First he made himself comfortable in his new position, but soon glanced to his right and stared into the depths of space. In the system beyond, the Tsa'ah's new home awaited their arrival and purging of the human race. Through him, his people would earn their right to the promise made hundreds of years ago. They would return to their former glorious state with the eradication of humanity and its pathetic city. Only a short wait longer. Once arrangements were complete, humanity's singular bastion would suffer the Tsa'ah's unforgiving prejudice with him at the fore of his people's assault. The era for the shameful to pass on stories of defeat was over. The commencement to their age of restoration was nigh.


	22. Chapter 22: Acquisition

Chapter 22: Acquisition

"Tharsos!"

Lukos slammed his fist on the door, dull thuds reverberating throughout the hard-walled halls of the barracks. A handful of tenants, startled by the disturbance, opened their homes' doors up to determine the cause of the ruckus. At the sight of the awaiting Hunter, all shot glares of disdain toward him for upsetting their peace. A handful of departing Guardians cursed Lukos for his lack of respect in a most non-courteous manner. He shrugged their comments off purely for his current lack of interest in humiliating them.

The barracks' unwelcome visitor loudly knocked on the door again, "Tharsos! Let's go!" As soon as he withdrew his closed hand, the unit's entrance swished open to the sight of the formally dressed Titan.

"Where have you been?" Lukos asked, starting for the exiting stairs. "The debrief is about to start. We have to hustle."

"Sorry."

The Hunter, noting the odd tone in Tharsos' response, glanced at his teammate, "Something bothering you, big guy?"

"No. Why do you ask?" Tharsos asked, taking to the top of the stairway's first steps.

"Figured I would just remind you that if someone's picking a fight with you, you don't need my help in handling the problem," Lukos jested, looking around the complex before leaping down a few steps.

His joke was dismissed. It wasn't strange of the Titan to remain quiet to a lot of remarks, but Lukos still felt as if Tharsos was hiding something.

"Was the debrief moved up?" he asked in a matter-of-fact fashion.

"Just found out myself. Kaeneth's still at the Tower's infirmary for treatment, so I was notified of changes later than I normally do. Perks to a person of my stature. But Petros got a hold of me and told me to come get you for the meeting. I take it you weren't warned of the change in schedule either," Lukos explained, dusting his usual combat uniform off. "Seems like you've been waiting for it for some time though."

Tharsos simply nodded and proceeded to the complex's exit. Upon stepping outside, a comfortable spring warmth from the late morning's sun wrapped around the Guardians.

"Selana was preoccupied," Lukos said, veering off toward their destination. "Petros told me she was attending to personal matters. Thought I would let you know she would have kept you up to date if she could."

"Thanks for the info," Tharsos said, clearing his throat.

Lukos glanced at the especially silent Titan, "How are things with you two then?"

Tharsos looked at the Hunter momentarily before ending the pause, "They're good. You're particularly curious today, aren't you, Lukos?"

"Today and every other day," Lukos laughed. "The personal matters Petros was telling me about. Anything to be concerned with?"

Tharsos smirked with amusement, "No. Don't worry. She's told me her family's been requesting her assistance with some research."

Lukos jutted his lip out and nodded once, satisfied enough for now, "Okay. Forgot to mention she's being dismissed from this debrief. Permission from the higher-ups thanks to her current circumstances. Benefits to being the daughter of a High Councilman, right? And since Kaeneth's getting patched up, that just leaves the two of us this go around."

"Shouldn't be much of a problem. Petros is updated on any of our assignments and reports. Filling them in won't take long."

"Hopefully the same will go for the Councilman and FOTC." Tharsos grew quiet over his mention of the previous operation.

"You still torn up over us failing the mission?" Lukos asked, eyeing the Titan closely.

"I don't think many lies could slip past you. Saying I'm not would be a waste of our time."

"Keeping all that frustration bottled up isn't of any help to us either," Lukos said while looking ahead.

Tharsos let out a light chuckle, "You of all people are going to preach to me about opening up."

Lukos grinned and dropped his eyes for a second, "Yeah, good point."

Several minutes of travel, devoid of any exchanged conversation, passed between the two men. As hushed as the walk was, the silence wasn't awkward. Rather, the lack of shared thoughts was surprisingly understood and welcomed by both individuals. But one's words wouldn't be left unfinished.

"That mission could have ended far different than it turned out. But it didn't. The fortunate thing is all of us got out of there alive. You gotta ask yourself: Is what you're beating yourself up about worth more than that? Or did all of a sudden, the mission's success mean more to you than living to see the light of another day?"

Lukos' challenge was purely rhetorical, and much to his expectation, Tharsos didn't reply. Nevertheless, the impact of his words had done their job. With a single, fleeting look, Lukos could see the thought linger in Tharsos' eyes. The only reaction Lukos would accept from him flourished within.

"We better hurry. The last thing I want is my ears filled with the complaining of the Councilmen and Generals."

* * *

It wouldn't have mattered how prompt our arrival had been. The identification processes the guards were running defeated the purpose of appearing early. It used to be as simple as standing unarmed in the presence of the City's leadership with a heavily armed troop defending them. For whatever reason, security was increased for this conference.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have been bothered by it. Perhaps the only reason I wasn't feeling so impatient this time was due to what Lukos had said to me earlier. I had more than enough time to reflect on my meditations during the last few days. And he was right. Just after our extraction, I was content with failing to achieve our objective. I didn't know why the failure weighed on me so much afterwards. There was always the chance the Council and FOTC wouldn't have seen it the same. I didn't want to think of them this way, but soldiers were expendable in the sight of a higher cause, so I steeled myself for telling the leadership, yet again, we failed a vital mission to our cause.

As I thought, I noticed the guards themselves were far different than the guards who frequented their posts at Council Hall or the FOTC HQ. They only spoke when they absolutely needed to, bore no insignia of troop identification, and were equipped with unique, midnight black, medium-grade armor that concealed every feature of their person. I had heard rumors of them before. A task force who supposedly operated under confidential authority and carried out the most top secret missions. They served without recognition and under strict declaration, were never to go by any name. Or so the stories told. If any of it were true, there wouldn't be any way to ask for confirmation. At the very least, their existence was irrefutable. I could see the experience and skill they possessed in their gaits and postures.

"Proceed," one of them finally told us. I would have presumed he was the platoon leader, but even that was indeterminable judging their strikingly similar appearances.

In an almost disturbing cadence, the guards parted as if mirror images for our passage. Upon our entering of the private conference room, Lukos and I were met by five figures seated on the opposite side of a broad table.

"Welcome, Fireteam Shachal."  
At his greeting, we stopped where we stood, just out of arm's reach from the table's edge. I scanned the dim room's desk, coming to the realization that several were absent from the debrief.

"The FOTC Command won't be joining us today, Guardian Katenos," the Chief Councilman said from the center of the furnished desk. "If that is what you were wondering, of course."

"Sir."

"Pressing forward. Shall we begin with the formalities of this gathering?" Councilman Polemos butted in, leaning forward in his seat and interlocking his fingers.

I glanced at the man's face near the modest light hanging just before him. He was staring at Lukos and me.

"I regret to inform you the operation failed," I said while maintaining my stoic posture. "We faced insurmountably large opposition and were unable to retrieve the sensitive data. Due to our status and supply, we were forced to extract before the objective was completed."

A pause ensued after giving them my account. The Council members exchanged a handful of glances before returning their confused gazes to us.

"It seems we have been given conflicting reports," Councilwoman Shomah murmured among her colleagues. She turned to us and asked, "Your unit's Ghost, Petros, already sent record of your mission's results. According to the report, you succeeded in acquiring the information sought from Menia's database. Why is it you tell us you failed?"

With the presented information before me, I was at a loss for words. Why didn't Petros tell us he extracted the intel from the mainframe? Was he even giving the Council sound data? "We weren't informed. I assume he hadn't had the opportunity to tell us."

"Luckily for all of us, your entire team escaped from the station alive and mostly well, Guardian Katenos," Chief Councilman Herpeton praised.

"My priority is my team's welfare. I only wanted to get each of them safely to extraction as soon as I could."

The Chief Councilman nodded with acknowledgment, "A most admirable mindset for a leader. Your efforts are commendable."

"Thank you, sir," I said, not caring to be showered with the recognition. "I owe everything to my team for making that possible."

"Said like a Katenos," he laughed heartily.

"Forgive me, but we should move on," Councilman Manda interrupted. "If your Ghost failed to brief you and your team, then you have yet to realize the importance of the content housed within Menia's mainframe."

"Did it have what we were hoping to find?" I asked, trying to keep my anticipation under control.

"It did. Fortunately for us, the technology during the Golden Age was dependable even at its worst of operational statuses. The secondary transmission triangulation systems have been in good health, despite the complete destruction of the primary systems."

"And the data. Did it hold records of intercepted transmissions?"

Councilman Manda sighed and looked at his associates, "Yes. It has accumulated a tremendous count of messages over the centuries. Sorting through all of them will take an extensive period of time, but in light of our current circumstances, the Osiris administration has begun evaluating the latest messages."

Upon his statement's closing, he let Councilman Kaiah continue. "It would seem the Fallen had grown complacent following their disappearance last fall. Although few, we were able to decipher some of their messages containing relevant information to their whereabouts."

Lukos and I awaited his word intently.

"Some of the latest transmissions sent from one particularly large signature discuss 'relocating the fleet to the gas giant'."

I stood motionless, almost disbelieving what I just heard. From the corner of my eye, I caught Lukos shift his relaxed stance in response to the news as well.

"Has the FOTC begun preparing a large scale assault?" I asked. A strange silence fell upon the room afterward.

"No, not as of yet," the Chief Councilman murmured. "We regret to inform you our forces will not be immediately mobilizing on the Fallen."

"What?" Lukos asked with a scoff. "You finally have the advantage you've been looking for and you're going to wait?"

I put my hand up toward him in an attempt to silence his complaint, "With all due respect, sir, why aren't you taking the initiative?"

"Simply put, we aren't prepared to combat the Fallen resistance. Based on the signatures, their fleet is immense, and jumping into the fray without a strategy would be a rash decision."  
"Then why isn't the FOTC organizing an assault? Surely you would make these preparations a priority for all personnel," a frustrated Lukos debated.

"It's not in your power to question the decisions of the Council or the FOTC, Guardian Chorvo," Councilman Kaiah interjected firmly. "Coming to this decision wasn't as easy as you would make it, but we assure you the appropriate time and resources will be implemented into organizing a preemptive strike."

I watched Lukos shake his head with anger and disappointment. I wasn't far off from doing the same. Wracked with bewilderment, I glanced at the politicians before me, "What do you intend to do in the meantime?"

"We will be doing everything we can to further this objective. At the moment, we are going to give you and your team your new orders," Councilman Herpeton responded.

"My team and I are prepared to assist in any way we can in the assault's organization."

A handful of the Council members glanced at each other, while the rest simply followed wandering gazes. "No, Fireteam Shachal. Your presence is needed elsewhere."

"Where would you have us?" I asked, still juggling the disappointing news presented moments ago.

"Your team is being reassigned."

My mind calmed and my eyes shot up, "Excuse me, sir?"

"There is need for a reconnaissance team to investigate ruins on Mars for signs of surviving technology from the Golden Age," Councilman Polemos boomed.

Lukos laughed, disrespecting the proposition, "The Exo were the only technology salvageable from that time. There's nothing left to find out there but bones and ghosts."

"As many others would think," Councilman Herpeton replied. "But reclaiming our history is vital for our future generations."

The Hunter scoffed in response to the new task given to our team, "This is a waste of our time. If you don't deal with these Fallen scumbags, you won't have any future generations to tell about your precious Golden Age that went to hell."

"Will you hold your tongue or must I have you silenced?" Councilman Polemos growled.

Lukos glanced around to see the new guards watching him in the quiet of the room's shadows, "You'll regret this."

"When we want to hear the opinion of an Outcast, we will ask," the elderly politician retorted. "But if I were you, I wouldn't hold my breath."

My teammate glared at him and clenched his jaw. For both our sakes, I had to get us out of here before something Lukos would come to regret happened.

"I understand, Councilmen," I muttered, swallowing the anger I was feeling myself. "We will inform the rest of our unit regarding our reassignment."

"Very well. You are dismissed."

"Let's go, Lukos." I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to the door. His lingering stare followed with delay, but we left the Council leaders and their darkly-clad security force behind. When we were out of the facility and away from the ears of Council Hall, I stopped Lukos. "You need to control yourself around them. They'll only excuse your behavior so many times."

"I'm counting on it."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked him harshly.

"Don't concern yourself with it. You got enough on your plate, Tharsos."

"Stop telling me the obvious. This matter with our reassignment isn't just my problem though."

"You're right about that. But what are we supposed to do about it?" Lukos asked, beginning to pace around. "You know just as well as I do. If we don't strike first, we won't be able to pull a counterattack off."

"I do. But you getting shot for your disobedient outbursts isn't going to solve that. This predicament has become a personal issue of ours. If any of us get killed, it puts Shachal out of commission."

"I get it. I get it," Lukos exhaled. "Give the scolding a rest."

I relaxed myself in the calm that followed, "Now we're even."

Lukos glanced at me and chuckled, "Not even close, big guy."

"Come on. The sooner we fill Selana and Kaeneth in, the better. But I doubt they'll take it much better than we did."

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say Petros already knows the specifics," Lukos sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "What good will telling Kaeneth do? The guy's arm is in pretty bad shape."

"Knowing Kaeneth, he won't be out of the action for long," I reassured Lukos.

"Ha! You're right. But still, what the hell kind of job is scouting the Wilderness for dusty tech?"

"Not much of one, but the sooner we get it out of the way, the sooner we can focus on the most pressing matter at hand."

* * *

"What the hell?! Ya' have ta' be bullshitting me!"

I shook my head and ran my hand down my face as I leaned against the room's counter. Kaeneth's reaction was far more surprising than I expected. Lukos had an amused, smug grin plastered on his face as he listened to the Scot's series of fuming, rampaging cussing. Selana, on the other hand, was trying to plead with the wounded Guardian for his body's sake. A futile effort it would be, as his arm's condition was the furthest thing from his mind. Petros quietly hovered in the middle of the room, waiting for a moment of peace.

"Kaeneth! Please, calm down. You're arm's in critical condition. If you don't relax, you'll reverse the treatment you've already undergone," Selana demanded at the side of his bed.

"Those damned Councilmen. What are they thinking putting a hold on the counterattack?" Kaeneth complained, just beginning to settle himself into his bed.

"We're at the same loss for an explanation," I spoke up.

"I figured once we extracted the data, we would've made immediate preparations for an assault," Kaeneth muttered under his breath.

"To add insult to injury, we're getting put on some crap assignment on Mars. Pun intended," Lukos joked toward Kaeneth.

The veteran Guardian looked at him, trying to hold a grin back, "Ya' know exactly what ya're supposed ta' do there?"

Lukos and I turned toward Petros, "I imagine you have the specifics?"

"Indeed, I do," the Ghost droned.

"That all you have to say?" Lukos asked.

"There's not much more to inform you of other than your duty will be searching for any historical items of import you happen to discover."

Lukos laughed, "Sounds like an easy fix. We could just report nothing was found."

"I'm afraid that won't be a possible avenue of operation. They will expect at least one article from your mission."

"But there is absolutely no significance lent to the defense of the City from the Fallen assault," Selana said, folding her arms at the foot of Kaeneth's bed. "Considering the circumstances, a task of this nature would be pushed back until the priority has been addressed and dealt with. Why is it now, of all times, we're reassigned to a mission of this kind? It doesn't follow protocol."

"According to the order, the City's leadership is anticipating the preparations to be complete within the next two months," Petros chimed in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Ma' ass," Kaeneth murmured. "The Dead Orbit and FWC could easily mobilize their air support and armor as fast as the Guardians o' the FOTC. Doesn't even include the faster deployment o' private militaries owned by the administrations themselves."

"It's hard to believe they would wait though," I said. "What benefit is there in doing so?"

"Perhaps they're preparing a WMD to reduce casualties?" Selana proposed.

"One would hope," Lukos replied. "But I imagine the Osiris administration, at the very least, already possesses that kind of power. Or am I wrong?"

Selana paused, "I'm sorry, but I can't disclose that information."

The Hunter laughed, "Too many locks and keys in the City. And even more secrets to top it off."

"Speaking of private militaries, the Council members were being guarded by one," I said, filling the hush between us.

"Could ya' tell which one?" Kaeneth asked me.

"The 'Nameless'," I told him plainly.

"Ah, them, huh? Tough sons o' bitches, they are."

"Better not cross paths with me," Lukos sneered. "They so much as look at me the wrong way, I'll send a message to the rest of them."

"Easy, boy. They aren't ta' be underestimated," a stern Kaeneth said.

"You run into them before?"

"If ya' want ta' put it that way, aye. They're elite Guardians. Don't want ta' push that bunch the wrong way."

"Sounds like they're overestimated," Lukos smirked.

"Hey, I mean it. Be careful, lad."

"Lukos, let it go," I commanded.

"Alright, alright already."

I shifted my gaze to our Ghost, "Why didn't you tell us you managed to extract the transmissions from Menia's mainframe, Petros?"

His shell hummed with a fluctuating brilliance before rotating to face me, "Because the accessing and withdrawal of said data was not your objective, Guardian Katenos. It was mine. Your mission was to extract your team. The last article of concern any of you needed was the knowledge of my own objective's failure or success. If you haven't realized it yourself, you performed admirably with the singular aim of evacuating you and your team as your goal."

My stare faltered, and only letting out a small smile, I accepted the justification of his actions with a short, indirect nod, "Thank you, Petros."

"I fail to understand what it is I did that deserves your appreciation."

Lukos, having known my mind's late plight, answered with a sigh, "You don't need to know. Just accept it for what it is."

The Ghost quieted, as did the rest of us for the subsequent duration of our visit.

"So," Selana began, breaking the silence. "When are we set to deploy, Petros?"

"In one week. Considering your latest mission took a heavy toll on every one of you, the Council and FOTC thought it best you recuperated fully before your next assignment."

"Who would have thought we would have been pulled away from combat just to become the Council's archaeologists?" Lukos groaned.

Tensions were high, and frustrations were even higher. We gave Kaeneth our goodbyes and departed for a rest we needed greatly, only to have it burdened with the reflection of current events. I for one, at least, found a sliver of peace from today. I only hoped it would help carry me forward through yet another.


	23. Chapter 23: Relic

Chapter 23: Relic

"Okay, kiddos. She's all prepped for ya'," Kaeneth sighed, dropping his shoulders. His fatigue was irrefutably present in his every action. He carried himself wearily with red eyes, but his polite charm hadn't faded in the least. "Ya' better get going if ya' want ta' make it there with daylight left."

"I can't believe the Council's still gonna push for this," Lukos murmured with a scowl forming on his face.

"It's a mystery, but what has ta' be done must be done. Petros will bring ya' up ta' speed," Kaeneth answered. "He will be accompanying ya' again. Ma' arm's not completely recovered, so I wish the three o' ya' luck."

"First mission where we don't have you or Sideros holding our hands," Lukos smirked.

"Aye, so don't screw it up, lad," Kaeneth replied comically.

"As I think it over, this sounds like a mission for the Seven Seraphs. I wonder if they requested this?" Selana asked quietly, as if speaking to herself.

"I don't know. Petros will give ya' all the details. I'm sorry, but I have ta' go, kiddos. I have an appointment with a particularly attractive doctor at the infirmary," Kaeneth waved as he turned away. "Ship's stocked up for ya'."

Lukos cursed behind an envious grin, "That's worth more of my time. Switch with me."

"Sorry, lad! She prefers more experienced men with wounds on the mend."

"That lucky son of a bitch," Lukos chuckled, watching the injured Guardian, too far for a reply, disappear from sight.

"Are you prepared to depart, Guardians?" Petros asked from the hold's shadows behind us. Lukos turned without a word and entered the vessel with long strides.

Selana, who was laughing lightly from the previous exchange of words, looked at me, "Are you ready?"

I nodded, "Are you?"

"If you are, yes."

I turned and walked up the hatch, letting her lead. Once my feet stood on the level floor, I knocked on the wall firmly, "Take us up, Petros." The ever-ready Ghost wasted no time and began taking off as the hatch closed shut. I continued to walk toward the armory as I heard the locks slide and seals hiss. "Care to fill us in during the ride? I want specifics." I stepped into the cockpit and watched Petros manipulate the _Volframio_ and its functions with ease.

"As you know, the particular artifacts recovered are next to irrelevant; at least to our judgments. The only additional information required to communicate is the location you will be investigating," Petros answered.  
"And where are we headed?" I asked.

"The outskirts of the Buried City."

I blinked and hushed at the mention of the area's name, "Alright."

Petros, quiet as well, simply proceeded with his commanding of the ship, "I would recommend taking your seats and strapping in. We could experience turbulence upon exiting the atmosphere."

I turned to see Selana leaning in the doorway next to me. She looked into my eyes with a compassionate curiosity, but she knew full well that I wouldn't discuss what was on my mind.

Leaving the cockpit to the pilots, I approached my weapon rack and grabbed my LMG, placing it on the workbench in the middle of the room. As I loaded it, a metallic thud hit the bench before me. With a quick glance, I watched Lukos withdraw his hand from a standard issue New Monarchy security combat shotgun, "Compliments to our dear old Kaeneth. Thought you could use this."

I looked up at him for a second before taking the shotgun in hand and studying it. Within a few moments, I adjusted the stock and clicked a full magazine into the receiver. Pulling the butt of the stock into my shoulder, I couldn't help my disappointment. Doing my best to hide it, I nodded at my teammate with appreciation, "Thanks."

He took a seat on the other side of the table and pulled a moon clip from his vest and inserted it into his sidearm, "Figured you could use the extra firepower for once." After snapping the cylinder back into the receiver, Lukos shifted his gaze to my family's shotgun on the weapon rack behind me, "Is it busted?"

"You could put it that way."

The Hunter pursed his lips and leaned back before picking himself out of his seat, "Better buckle up." He left ahead of me as I examined an empty space. With either hand, I picked the weapons up and placed them back in their respective positions in the armory. Without hurry, I secured myself in one of the passenger hold's seats just before Petros tore through Earth's atmosphere, left to endure a somber remembrance for much of the journey.

* * *

A consistent and distinctly clear series of blasts fired down the range. I watched from behind as my brother stood thirty yards from his stationary targets. As he fired "Make My Day" down the still air of the facility's firing range, just from observing his body language, I could tell he was having the time of his life. And even though I couldn't see it, I knew he had a grin on his face as often as he could hold one between trigger pulls.

I stopped him as soon as he depleted it of its second load of shells. "How do you like it?"

"It's a badass!" Thureos cheered, overjoyed with firing it for the first time. "I'm sure Dad made a few days in the past. Or killed them. Depends on the perspective, I guess." My sibling turned to me, as if waiting for me to confirm his comment.

"I'm sure he handed out more than a few headaches back in the day," I laughed, walking up to Thureos and taking hold of the shotgun. "What do you think of the recoil?"

"Recoil?" he scoffed. "Perfect balance. Couldn't ask for this weapon to be any different."

Examining the weapon with a small smirk, I loaded it yet again and offered it to Thureos again. "See how much different it feels when it's yours."

He grabbed it slowly, as if disbelieving his ears. Finally closing his gaping mouth before speaking, Thureos' astonished eyes danced over the sleek, preserved paintjob of our father's keepsake, "Mine?"

"You just gonna sit there and gawk at it? Fire the thing already," I told him, stepping backward a couple of paces.

My brother, anxious and trying to contain it, replied by positioning himself rather than speaking. He began firing downrange again with a smile I could see from his side. After depleting it, he took a final look at the weapon before gently setting it down on the narrow tabletop in front of him.

"Are you sure you want me to have this, Tharsos?"

"Do I look like I'm regretting it?" I asked.

He glanced at me and averted his gaze to the relic resting before him, "No. It's just that I figured you would have used it instead, you know."  
"I have 'Hail of Fire'. No point in keeping both for one of us when each of us can have one of Dad's guns. Besides, he would have wanted you to have it."

Thureos nodded somberly, taking in the weight of my words, realizing that now, Dad's shotgun was his to own. A short chuckle escaped from my brother's mouth when he pushed himself from the table and looked at me conspicuously, "Can I try the LMG out?"

I smirked and leaned forward, taking my time with my response, "You couldn't handle that thing's recoil."

Trying to get a word in the midst of my laughing, Thureos displayed his disagreement to my joke, "Come on! I can handle it, bro. Just one drum."

"With those puny shoulders and lats? You'll hit everything but your target," I chuckled, starting to walk away.

"Half a drum?" he begged.

"No. Not until you put some more strength in that body."

He started to follow, defeated and still wishing to test "Hail of Fire", with his feet dragging behind him.

"Don't forget the shotgun, Thureos."

"Oh, yeah!" he exclaimed, immediately spinning around to retrieve his weapon. After a short jog, he caught up with me and slowed to a comfortable walk. "Thanks."

I threw my arm around his neck and squeezed, forcing him into a headlock, "No problem, little brother."

* * *

The ship lurched vehemently, more than enough to make me awake and feel my head rock back and forth as well. I stretched my neck and glanced at Selana to my left just beginning to experience the disturbance as well. Lukos, on the opposite side of the hold looked at me with a discomforted grimace deeply set on his face.

"I hate atmosphere entry. Kills a good doze, doesn't it?"

I simply nodded, and waited for a relatively peaceful stretch of flight where I could free myself from the restraints of my seat. By then, the three of us were wide awake and moving.

"I wasn't expecting the ride to Mars to be so fast," Selana yawned, entering the armory after me.

"Short or long, the rest was needed. A week of it wasn't quite enough, considering how demanding the Moon mission turned out," I said, slinging the New Monarchy shotgun around my back and hefting my LMG from its locker.

"Hey, how short are we?" Lukos called toward the cockpit, shoving his revolver into its holster.

_"Short? Would you expect me to fail so terribly?"_ The _Volframio_ decelerated near instantly as Petros descended onto the ground. _"We have reached the landing zone, Fireteam Shachal."_

"Am I the only one feeling like he's in a hurry?" Lukos asked Selana and me after the ship ceased to move.

"If he's as aggravated with the mission as you are, it doesn't surprise me," Selana said sarcastically.

Upon the prompt opening of the vessel's hatch, a gradually dying whirlwind of rust-colored sand fired from the terraformed atmosphere of the planet into the passenger hold before being shot down by the steel walls and thinly padded seats.

"Ah, damn it! My seat's gonna be crunchy when we get back, Petros!" Lukos complained while rolling his head back.

Selana giggled as I stepped out into the dunes of Mars ahead of my team.

_"I hope your helmet is secured, Guardian Chorvo. Or you will be feasting your teeth on that sand,"_ Petros said as he closed the hatch behind us. _"Due to the lack of suitable concealed docking areas, I must keep the ship airborne. Fear not, for I will guide you from the skies, Guardians. And these may serve as useful."_ The floor panel parted and three Sparrows rose from the beneath the hold's deck. With the release from their stations, they slowly descended down the hatch and onto the soft sediment.

"Understood." I interrupted Lukos' attempt at an insult toward our Ghost, and set out as soon as the first of Petros' waypoints appeared on my HUD. My team followed my swift departure accordingly to the beginning of our uneventful search through barren sands and hollow skeletons of civilization.

And uneventful it was. For nearly an hour, every point-of-interest, if it could be called as such, yielded not a single article worthy of study. The red dust itself was a more welcome sight compared to the stones turned and what lied buried underneath.

Lukos had exhausted his curses and for the first time during our voyage, simply let out a long, drawn sigh, "Why are we scouring the edge of the city? Wouldn't we have a more likely chance of finding a piece of junk within the metropolis full of them?"

Whether rhetorical or not, I didn't respond, but I had asked myself the same. Though scattered, all of Petros' markers were set just along the wide segment of the Buried City's border. Questioning it ourselves was pointless.

"Care to explain why we're going no further than the edge of the city, Petros?" I asked the Ghost.

_"No, I don't. I cannot afford to tell you all of the details as of yet. My order dictates it."_

Closing the channel with a shake of my head, I glanced at my companions, whom of which expressed their own frustrations.

"Order?" a puzzled Selana whispered.

"I don't trust him," Lukos commented with a hasty desire to share.

"You don't need to like him, but don't forget what happened the last time we doubted his intentions," I said bluntly. "He probably has a reason for keeping them secret this time."

Just then, something had caught my attention. In the distance, further from the edge of the city lied a lone cluster of modest mountains with a buildup of sand having accumulated along its steep slope perpendicular with the wind current. I decelerated my Sparrow and studied the rocky hills, debating on whether or not to investigate it. It didn't take long for my teammates to discover what held my attention and they stopped as well.

"Do you think we should check it out?" Lukos asked, his own curiosity peaking.

"I don't know," Selana said with uncertainty.

"Where else are we going to look? Petros will just keep us on this wild goose chase if we don't break the cycle," Lukos responded, trying to make a case for the mountains' investigation.

"We're going," I told them. "We can come back if we don't find anything."

"Okay," Selana, reluctant, sighed.

Petros was surely watching our movements, and even with the shift of course and ignoring of his waypoint, he was silent on the change in plans. At full speed, it took easily twenty minutes before reaching our objective. Though no large mountains like you would see in a widespread range, the collection was beyond my predictions. Fortunately for us, a good portion of the vertical could be traversed on our Sparrows before needing to travel on foot. Having followed a natural, and somewhat broad, path that wound around a portion of the largest and nearest hill, we left three streams of loose dust behind as we scaled the height of the formation before reaching a climb impassable by our ground vehicles.

"Guess this is it for our birds," Lukos clicked his tongue as he dismounted his and started for the rocky terrain that appeared as if a crude stairway.

Selana and I also left our Sparrows as we followed our comrade to the top of the mountain's clearing. At the peak, we were met with a nearly enclosed basin filled with sand that hadn't been influenced by the gales for an indeterminate measure of time. Upon our arrival, a quick glimpse of the ground was enough to realize this area was of some sort of importance, as the sight of Cabal footprints clung to the grains of sediment sheltered from the winds. Fortunately for us, the impressions in the dust suggested the last signs of activity as a departure rather than an arrival. Even so, we remained armed and alert, should a company of Cabal have remained on site.

Lukos, at point, halted at a cave where all of the footprints entered and exited, "Let me give the interior a look before you two go in."

"Alright, keep your eyes sharp," Selana said.

"Always," he laughed.

He crept in as quietly as any skilled invader would, and while he did, Selana and I awaited his word outside under concealment of some eroded stones nearby. Approximately five minutes later, Lukos contacted us, _"Coast's clear, guys. You're gonna want to see what's in here."_

We entered the cave and were swallowed up by the darkness that it housed within, forcing us to resort to a means of vision more suitable for the lack of light. With our night vision activated, we followed a short tunnel that wound around a handful of walls and into a surprisingly large chasm that was lit generously by a strange object at its heart. There, Lukos awaited our rendezvous.

"Any other ways in?" I asked him upon my approach.

"No, just the one."

"What is it?" Selana said, just short of a gasp.

"I was hoping you would be able to give us an idea, Doc," Lukos murmured, stepping around the illuminated prismatic object.

I couldn't tell what, if anything, was sustaining the source of multicolored light in the elongated device that bore a semblance of an elaborately crafted casket; though of course, it seemed empty, as I could see through the outer faces. It wasn't warm either, and despite its smooth, glass-like appearance, it was a very sturdy material.

"These signatures are...odd," Selana murmured as she examined the strange prism. "They seem somewhat familiar, yet my systems can't identify it."

"Can you determine a function?" I asked her.

"No, there doesn't appear to be any kind of controls or power source either."

With nothing more than a fraction of a second having passed, the clear glass-like surface was coated in a bronze colored shell that materialized from no apparent place on the object.

"What was that?" Lukos asked with a darting gaze.

Selana took a close look and ran her hand over the surface of the shell, an action to which I responded by pulling her hand away, "You don't know what that could do."

She tenderly removed my hand from her forearm, "But nothing happened. It must be a defensive countermeasure."

"Counter to what exactly?"

"Us? Perhaps it was programmed to do so," Selana hypothesized thoughtfully.

"No offense, but you do realize this isn't Cabal or Fallen technology, right?" Lukos said, directing his note to her.

"I do, but that doesn't mean they haven't discovered how to comprehend and operate its functions."

"So any theories as to what it does?" Lukos whispered from the shadows.

"That much is too hard to say right now. It would require further, more intensive examination with more sophisticated tools. The problem is figuring out how to transport it from this location."

"That sounds like a risk," I butted in. "For all we know, this is a weapon and taking it into the City could result in catastrophe."

"So what the hell do we do with it? This could be our relic from the Golden Age, yeah?" Lukos suggested.

Selana shrugged her shoulders and glanced at me, "It's up to you, Tharsos."

Too many unknowns. I studied the protected form of the prism and tried to decide. The officials of the City could always send a better suited investigation team here aided with the security of a larger Guardian force. Then again, it could become buried under heavy Cabal guard or could be moved once a more appropriate team arrived. Either way, we were undermanned and lacking in the equipment to discern its true utility.

"I'm not taking the chance that it could bring harm to the City. Record the coordinates and we can bring this information to the Council for further orders. Until an Osiris field team can get here and examine it, we're not taking it anywhere."

If I could have seen Selana's expression underneath her helmet, I would have guessed she frowned with disappointment. Even so, I knew she must have respected my decision. All of us were ignorant of the prism's purpose, and out of safety for all of us, we had no choice but to wait until we received more definitive data on its mysteries.

"According to the objective, that makes the mission 'complete', right?" Lukos muttered, a hint of hope in his voice. "We aren't actually bringing an item back, but confirmation of one that requires careful transport wouldn't be much different in my books."

"We can't do anything further with this, so that's as complete as we can manage."

Lukos let out a gasp of excitement. Or relief. I couldn't quite tell, but I knew he was glad to be done with this assignment either way. I was too. But I had to admit, despite the pointlessness of the mission previously, this device was suspicious. I couldn't ignore its peculiar appearance. And it was obviously important to the Cabal, being sheltered deep within a cave. We could only hope though, that by the time a science team arrived here, they would be as lucky as we were to stumble upon it quietly.

"Let's get out of here," I told my team, taking for the exit. "Petros, come pick us up."

Upon our return to the surface, I was surprised to feel so blinded in such a short amount of time being in the gloom of the cavern. But that's what polarized visors were for. "Petros, do you copy?" Retracing our steps with haste, we reached the entrance to the basin, and were stopped, hearts either in our guts or in our throats.

Below, several bulky ships skidded along the dunes and formed new crests, supplying a camp of Cabal with more troops. I gulped when I realized my estimate neared a hundred Rhinos that knew we were perched on their prized territory. Their ranks let a roar tear the howling gales asunder when they noticed our presence atop the peak of the hill.

"Lukos, sweep the perimeter for any other routes down the mountain," I demanded.

He set off swiftly and in a matter of a couple of minutes, he returned with woeful news, "Just like the cave. The only way up is the only way down. Everything's too steep and jagged. The other hills are spaced too far apart."

I cursed under my breath as I watched the stationary Cabal below.

"Why aren't they advancing?" Selana asked, both bewildered and relieved.

"To wait us out. Let the desert do the work before coming up here to finish the job."

"How do you know for sure?"

Letting out a long exhale first, I recollected the stories I heard from eavesdropping when I was a kid, "They enjoy making their victims suffer as much as possible when they dare to enter their home world."

"Home world," Lukos scoffed, shaking his head.

I turned toward the basin and hopelessly scanned my surroundings before turning to my team, "Long distance communications are down. Maybe interference. I'm only getting static from Petros. That force leaves us heavily outnumbered and outgunned. Worst of all, they have the regional advantage."

"What do we do?" Selana stared at me from the edge of the basin.

"Send a distress call. If we're lucky, Petros or a Dead Orbit stealth ship on patrol will breach the interference and triangulate it. Until then, we wait, and hope help comes before the Cabal decide we're ripe for the killing."

"And if this rescue doesn't come?" Lukos asked.

"Pray the desert kills us first."


	24. Chapter 24: Revelations

_Author's Note to the Reader: Normally I don't include these notes with my story, as I typically discuss my story with my readers when they leave reviews, but I just wanted to express my anticipation for this chapter. The last chapter that I felt this way about was Chapter 13, and for those of you who have read it and come to understand why I liked it for its content so much, I hope this note helps you understand the gravity of this particular installment to Shachal. And for those readers who have taken a curiosity or liking to Lukos, you'll like this one. So enjoy and tell me what you think everyone._

Chapter 24: Revelations

At the peak of the second night, Lukos, still and watchful, sat perched upon a rock under distant stars and over nearer adversaries. His shift was running just as sluggishly as his others had, but he studied his opponents just as attentively as he always had. Even in the shadow of night, he observed the burly Cabal guards trudge along the base of the pass leading to him and the rest of Shachal like a pack of wolves snarling at the air, ready to make their move.

Tharsos and Selana, sleeping at the mouth of the cave housing the mysterious prismatic object, were exhausted. More so than he was. He could see it in every step. Hear it in every word. At first, none of them could get any sleep, regardless of whether or not they were on watch, but the Mars desert wasn't so forgiving, and it didn't matter if they wanted the rest or not; their bodies followed their biological responses when suffering from dehydration.

As he stared into the thin-gleamed crests of the dunes below, which bore the likeness of a petrified ocean under moonlight, Lukos grinned at the sound of the Cabal's taunting chants and war cries. Aside from the usual conversational grunts, they were typically quiet, but in the two days and two nights they had been trapped at the top of the mountain, the Rhinos hadn't yet failed to occasionally share their enthusiastic desire to torment their prey.

They would attack soon. Lukos knew he understood it best. He swallowed what meager morsel of saliva he had stored in his dry mouth, but it didn't go down his parched throat so easily. His lips, sticky from the lack of hydration, curled into a smirk as he meditated on whether or not he would ever howl at the stars again. Maybe it wasn't so bad though. If he had it his way, he wouldn't have wanted to die anywhere else, any other way.

Breathing slowly, he rose to his feet in silence and balanced himself on his post before taking a long and deep inhale, and shouted into the tranquil air of his final night. He would likely greet death before the next sunset, but his enemies would know well that he wouldn't die peacefully or quietly. With that, his gaze shifted from one Cabal to the next before setting his stiff body back down on the stone underfoot. Tharsos and Selana wouldn't know any differently if he extended his shift a few extra hours. His eyes, clear and alert, unmoved by the heaviness of fatigue, glinted above his enemies hungry for his flesh. They didn't know any better. He was at home here.

* * *

I had been awake for a few minutes, but it was a tedious task even opening my eyes. My body had never felt so heavy. It felt too desirable to simply lie in the bed of soft sand underneath me, and it terrified me to feel that way. As difficult as it was, I pulled my weary body up from the sediment and squinted at the mere presence of daylight just outside. The cramps in my muscles shot through my body as I worked my way up to my feet. Before stepping into the golden light, I turned to Selana lying on the ground. I didn't expect her to see her resting, as she was next in line for guard.

Lukos had either stayed up longer or he succumbed to a tempting and helpless slumber during his shift. I doubted it was the latter and found myself frustrated with the thought of him carrying more weight than was necessary for him to bear.

"Selana," I said, kneeling and gingerly nudging her limp arm. She shuffled shortly before pushing herself up from the red sand. "Time to wake up."

Her arousal was slow and tiresome, so I let her awake at a comfortable pace and left the shade of the cavern sheltering us. As I stretched my shoulders at the exit, I looked to the guard post to see Lukos standing squarely at the entrance to the basin. Motionless, I wondered if he was half asleep, and approached to alert him of our awakenings.

"How's our company?" I asked him, stopping at his left side.

He answered without turning to face me, "Eager and thirsty."

In the blinding rays of sunlight, I glared through the maximum polarization of my visor to the Cabal camp below us. I could tell many hostile, attentive eyes were set on our location. I sighed as I reflected on our condition and even more so, the passage of time during our stay.

"They'll assault us today," Lukos said plainly.

"I know," I acknowledged.

"Are you ready for it?" For the first time in our conversation, he looked at me and waited for my answer.

I glanced at him without response and subsequently gave our enemies my attention. I heard the dull footsteps of Selana leaving the cave and turned to see her start to traipse toward us, "She would have fallen asleep before us. It would have been a more peaceful way to go, but I guess it was too much to hope for-the Cabal giving us enough time to die quietly. I can't believe I'm thinking of that."

Lukos stared as she closed the distance, "Don't beat yourself up about that. I know you know something about how they do things here. It's not morbid. It's gracious."

We hushed our conversation at her arrival. "I would tell you 'Good morning', but... well you know," Lukos said, trying to ease the unnerving mood from the scenario we were deep in.

"How'd you sleep?" I asked her, holding her shoulder.

"How did you?" she answered with a question.

I nodded compassionately, "I hate to do this to you, but could you take watch for a while?"

She acknowledged my request with a weary gesture, "Of course."

"Be careful. Watch them from behind cover." I rubbed her arm before looking at Lukos and stepping away. "Lukos."

He followed me to an outcropping half the distance to the grotto's entrance and leaned up against a sharp rock projecting from the dust, "What is it?"

"I need you to do something for me."

"What?" he asked with a casual tone.

I took a generous look at Selana staring down at the Cabal encampment, "This fight's coming. There's no avoiding it. If you find an opening, I want you to get her clear of the fight and to safety. No matter what."

He stared at me without reply for a long moment, "And you can't do that yourself?"

Shaking my head, I struggled to explain, "I don't really care if you take offense to this, but each of us are more capable of things than the others. I can draw their attention well and you can make stealthy escapes better than any of us. I'm asking you to make use of your talents when it counts most."

"You expect her to walk away from you? Just like that?"

"Like I said. No matter what, Lukos," I demanded. "I couldn't deal with the thought of what they would do to her if she survived the firefight."

"Survive? Aren't they coming to kill us?" my confused teammate asked me with curiosity.

"It's not a matter of 'if' they'll kill us. It's 'how' they do it." I debated on whether or not I should share the account I had heard. Right or wrong, I decided to do so, "Back when I was a boy, I used to sneak around when my dad had company visiting him. I loved to hear the stories about their missions. Some of them were what you would expect from an enlistment advertisement, but most of them weren't what I expected." I laughed at the recollection, "Never stopped me from keeping the habit though."

Lukos stared at me, and to my surprise, as if somberly. I pushed the sight aside and continued, "One of his friends told him what he saw on one of his patrols on Mars. It was a quiet one. No skirmishes broke out, but they had to explore deep within enemy territory." I paused, beginning to remember the tale as I had heard it. "The Cabal, when they can, take pleasure in torturing intruders slowly before killing them. It starts with what they're doing to us now. After they capture their prisoners, they break as many bones as they can without causing death. They probably let the victims lie for a while before they dismember them with dull blades and cauterize any profuse bleeding. Finally they impale people and their limbs with massive hooks chained to their borders' walls. They spill their intestines where they hang and their bodies are left to rot as a warning to any other invaders who consider trespassing on their territory."

I took a hard look at Lukos, "I cannot let that happen to her. So I'll repeat it again. No matter what it costs any of us, get you and her clear. Do I have your word?"

He pondered my recounting of an old soldier's story and shifted his gaze to Selana, "Yeah."

"Thank you."

"I don't want to piss all over your wishes, Tharsos, but you do realize how unlikely it is any of us will get out of here alive, right?"

"I'm aware of the chances," I began. "So if you don't find that opening, keep a few bullets in that revolver handy." I looked at Lukos, and with a difficultly held stare from him, I knew I didn't need to explain any further.

"Your dad told you stories?" Lukos asked after a momentous pause.

I recalled the few days he ever had the time to spare them, "Some of my best memories."

He nodded with drawn sways.

"How about yours?" Few times had I ever caught the Hunter hesitant and so hushed. "Come on, Lukos. We're only a few steps away from our graves. What's it going to hurt?"

Normally I would have expected an evasive chuckle or retaliation for my rarely uttered sarcasm, but all my words were met with was a quivering man, struggling to both speak and keep his emotions at bay. I tried to make sense of the unanticipated reaction.

"None really," his voice cracked through a strong reply, poorly forced. "He, uh... He didn't have much to say. Never had the time to tell me more than was needed. 'Go to sleep and wake up with your weapon in hand, always loaded and ready to shoot'. I heard those words for a lot of years until it became second nature to me."

"I'm sorry," I expressed empathetically.

"Don't be. He was a good father. Just couldn't be the only one he wanted to be." Lukos leaned back and exhaled forcefully before returning to his thought. "Sons in the City can be raised with bedtime stories. In the Wilderness, sons are raised with guns in their hands. Can't say I don't envy you. I knew he envied fathers like yours and others who could just let their kids be kids and not men right out of the gate."

In light of my condition, I understood why it took me unusually long to grasp the weight of his statement, "You weren't banished as an adult?"

He let out a single laugh and lowered his gaze, "Banished Outcasts don't return to the City, big guy."

"I don't follow."

"I was born in the Wilderness, Tharsos. The City isn't my home."

I was speechless. Several times, I heard of Lukos being referred to as an Outcast, but as always, I had thought he was banished as a man. His account was the first I had heard of otherwise. It was beginning to make some sense, but there were still holes left to be filled. "I still don't understand your case. You were an Outcast, but were allowed to go to the City."

"According to the City's regulations, the sins of the father don't pass on to the child. My parents couldn't return to the City, but if I wished to, I could get in without getting a bullet in the head. A grace to the children that didn't have anything to do with the crimes that got them out there."

"What sins?" I asked, trying to gather some direction to the purpose of his family's exile. "If you don't mind me asking?"

"He was charged with murdering a City official, but he didn't talk specifics with me. He was 'shown mercy' by being expelled from the City indefinitely. They had no idea that execution was a kinder sentence than letting traitors try to scratch a living in constant terror of being found by any number of things wanting to kill them."

"And your mother?" I asked.

"Wouldn't let him go alone. Damn woman was crazy. They refused to let her walk beyond the Wall, but she snatched a guard's pistol and fired it past his head. After that, they didn't bother stopping her. My pop was pissed, I guess. But she was more stubborn than he was and went with him without regret. Well, without regret at the time. Neither of them knew she was already newly pregnant. Nine months later, in a foreign world, there we were huddled in some shithole in the middle of nowhere."

Lukos glanced at me and scoffed, "I can't believe I'm telling you all of this. I must seem like one pitiful son of a bitch, huh?"

"No, I don't. Not many people could handle a life that hard. I just had no idea that was yours though."

"No one did. I haven't told anyone about this. I guess standing in the face of death can cause any truths to spill."

"How did you do it?" I had to pry, trying to comprehend the gravity of his lifestyle.

"I learned two things. My dad taught me how to kill when I was six. And for as long as I could remember, I was taught to look out for myself before anyone or anything. Self preservation was the only way to survive. Morals and codes of honor only got you killed out there."

There wasn't a reply I could think of to offer to that. I remembered when Thureos was six years old. My own father was killed then, but I couldn't imagine him having to live as Lukos had when he was a child. I was beginning to feel my own regret for having attacked Lukos with the title of Outcast in the past. His truth, something I knew I would never be able to fully comprehend, was hard to swallow.

"Your parents. Where are they now?"

"They're dead," he said with a wavering tone. "When I was eight, my dad and I were coming back from a raid on a crashed Dead Orbit ship. When we got home, we watched it get destroyed by a Fallen drop ship. After they left, my dad ran inside. Left me outside so I wouldn't see her. He was in tears when he came back out. We didn't bury her. Couldn't afford to take the risk, so we burned the place down with her still inside. Then we moved somewhere else, further away from Fallen territory. We roamed around for two years, from place to place, until we found a solid spot we could rest. A year after that we followed signs of another crashed ship for supplies."

I listened intently as his voice steeled to a cold tone, "It wasn't down for more than half a day, if that. All of the crew were dead. My dad was curious about the bodies because they died from gunshot wounds. While he checked them out, he had me get to work on moving the supplies. I took a load of weapons and ammunition to the tree line. That's when I got 'Huckleberry'. Then I heard someone approaching. I hid and watched as a group of soldiers walked to the ship with my dad still in it. Things were quiet at first, but before I knew it my dad was getting dragged out of the hold and beaten. After it stopped, they talked to him for a few minutes. And after they said what they had to say, one of them put a bullet in his head." He picked up his rifle and overlooked it, "I took his sniper rifle and dragged him into the ship and burned it. I was just a month shy of eleven, and lived in the Wilderness for another five years on my own before going to the City to work as a mercenary."

Lukos' body began to tremble from the sorrowful retelling of his story, but I could hear the rage in his words as well, "I wanted to help him. But I knew he didn't want me to come out. I had to protect myself. That's the way it had to be."

"Lukos," I began, attempting to spare him from going down this road.

"I wanted to save him. But I didn't. I was a coward." I could hear the tears break free from the emotional barricade he tried to fortify so much.

"Stop it," I began firmly. "There was nothing you could do. You were just a kid. If you attacked them, you would have been killed with your father. You did what he wanted you to do. Don't tear yourself down for something you couldn't control."

"It's not that simple."

"It is."

He looked up at me from his now crouched position, "You tell yourself that when your dad died? That there was nothing you could do."

I didn't have the response.

"See? It's not so easy," he stammered, beginning to harden his tone. "You can convince yourself that you couldn't help what happened to your dad, because you weren't there. The difference is I was in a position to help mine, and I didn't. We're not the same, Tharsos."

Old words returned to me from when I had met Lukos last autumn, and I was eating them, as I never expected this day to come. Most of me screamed not to open up about my own nightmares, but part of me yearned to ease my comrade's suffering. "We're more alike than you know, Lukos." I walked over to the rock wall and rested my back against it.

"I had a brother. The kid went everywhere he could follow me. I did everything I could to follow my father's example, and while I did, my brother was there right behind me, following in my footsteps. My mom died when he was born. She was ill and couldn't handle the stress of labor in her condition. She barely had the chance to even see him before she passed. He was six years old when my father died, and since he was gone a lot, Thureos didn't get to know him that well. Since my dad was commemorated as a Vanguard, we were taken care of by his FOTC life insurance benefits. The people that came around and kept an eye on us were too formal and dutiful to be considered family. So we were all we had."

Dreading the end of the countless memories, I tried to steel myself for speaking it, "I used to get him in trouble so much when my dad was around, but one day, I promised on my life that I would protect Thureos no matter what. It was my job as his older brother. He finally graduated from the Academy four years after I did and I managed to get him in my fireteam." I hesitated, fighting the urge to avoid treading the events of that day. "A Vandal shot him through his throat. He wasn't much more than an arm's breadth away from me when he fell. He died in my arms. I could see how scared he was, and I sat there, helpless and hopeless as he choked on his blood."

Trying vainly to push the sadness back, I cleared my throat before continuing, "I failed to keep my oath to my father. To my little brother. If only I told him to keep his helmet on, his shields could have saved his life."

"You haven't forgiven yourself," Lukos whispered solemnly.

My own head only felt in the right place when hung low in shame, "How could I? My father wouldn't have let that happen."

"Then you're right. We both have a lot in common. We're liars and cowards, lost and drowning in our grief and regrets."

I hated to admit that I agreed with him. I realized how foolish it was of me to try and persuade him to cast his spiteful views of himself aside when I hadn't done so myself. We sat together in silence as I thought to myself: Maybe I wasn't the leader I hoped I would be. In the roads most significant, I couldn't lead my own teammate to a path more peaceful than the only one he had ever known. Until I could find my own way off of my dark course, I couldn't hope to guide someone else away from theirs. Wondering how my father ever did it, I asked myself if I would ever discover it.

"Tharsos! Lukos!" Selana yelled from her post.

Lukos and I, having set our confessions aside for the time being, or perhaps for good, shot up to our feet as soon as our bodies would allow and ran to Selana.

"What is it?" I asked as I approached with an arduous jog.

She appeared concerned. No. Horrified. "They're coming."

A response for an imminent slaughter wasn't necessary when all of us knew its doom equally, save Selana regarding the means by which our foes would deal with us. We stood motionless for a few seconds as confident and well-armed Cabal lines marched up the path, loosing rust-red sand from its bed and sending it off, soaring into the air. A collective of them randomly roared with anticipation and blood thirst. As their ranks progressed up the hill, I was reminded of how outmatched we were.

"I guess no one's found our distress signal," Lukos murmured, equipping his father's old sniper rifle tightly in hand and adjusting his position to line up kill shots. He looked at Selana and then me, "Ready?"

I turned to Selana and nodded. Afterwards, I offered the same gesture to Lukos to remind him of my request. He acknowledged it silently before setting his gaze behind his sniper rifle's scope, "Let's do this then."

As the gunfire cracked, I withdrew "Hail of Fire" for the last time and switched the safety off, suggesting for Selana to do the same.

The fore ranks of the Cabal Legionnaires slowed at the opposition flying to them with merciless intent. Even in a weakened and inferior condition to what was normal, his ability with a sniper rifle was admirable as he pinpointed the holes in the currently loosely formed phalanx. Legionnaires dropped with critically fatal effects, but the gaps were filled with following soldiers. Eventually, they started to close up the holes until the mass closing in on us was a solid box of steel being maneuvered by enraged beasts longing to torment us if possible.

"Alright, get back to the cave! We'll use the mouth for cover. As a last resort, we'll move back further to bottleneck them," I commanded anxiously, trying to keep Selana ignorant to my hopes for an escape. We turned in unison and raced for the grotto's entrance and it's miniscule stones for what little protection we could use.

With our disappearance, the troops had quickened their march and we could hear the rumble of vengeful Cabal storming the basin's pass. Selana and I reached the mouth when I snapped around to see Lukos kneeling on the ground and taking a few shots at the first Legionnaires to arrive at the top of the path. Three heavy bodies were felled swiftly and trampled beneath the weight of their comrades bellowing murderously through hideous maws full of drool and razor sharp teeth.

"Lukos! Get to the cave now!"

He spun on his heel and ran for us as sizzling-hot cannon fire seared around him. I watched as a bolt screamed directly for his back, and an all too familiar sensation of being helpless when someone's life was on the line struck me. "Blink!"

He reacted almost immediately and disappeared as the slug slammed into the wall nearby and Lukos appeared next to Selana and me, skidding into the cave and behind one of the half buried stones within. With Lukos clear from fire, we responded to the charging threat simultaneously, firing our weapons of choice into the advancing Cabal, frenzied and furious.

Some had abandoned their defense for the sake of speed, making the sacrifices for their following comrades by intentionally creating openings that would be closed with Lukos' deadly accuracy. As he dealt with the closest threats still distant enough to react to, Selana and I, trying to make our ammunition last as long as possible, shot the soldiers behind his targets, silencing their weapons' influence.

Through their wrathful howls being carried by the hot winds just above, I saw an unexpected, and currently disbelieved sight appear from above the basin's walls ahead. A metallically-clad figure, observant to our firefight, disappeared into a plane of purple and black, parallel with my line of sight. I furrowed my brow, taking cover behind the narrow obelisk of rock shielding me, confused as to what I just witnessed.

"Tharsos! What the hell are you doing?!" Lukos shouted above the deafening noise of battle.

I focused and reset my concentration on my enemies. As I peered down my sights, I watched as a flash of intense, blinding light burst in midair, and where the Legionnaire I was just preparing to shoot stood, a cloud of ash remained momentarily, only to be carried away into the gales of Mars' skies.

"Did you see that?" Selana yelled over the gunfire.

"Yes! Keep shooting!"

The targets were becoming harder to pick when trying to conserve our ammunition, as the same phenomena were occurring in the midst of the fight. Confusion broke out amongst the ranks of Cabal within the basin, as they began to take notice of the mysterious assassin eliminating their force from within their lines. The assault had ceased when the Cabal attempted to discern a location to the threat moving about them, and we watched from the cover of the cave's mouth.

Another, even more blinding light, much more intense in magnitude appeared from the sky and fired down upon the center of the basin like a comet, which resulted in what resembled a supernova. None of us could keep our eyes open, regardless of our visors' polarization capabilities, and turned away from the spectacle. After an enduring remnant of the light gradually dissipated from the area, we managed to squint enough to study the clearing before us. Every Cabal soldier present was petrified where they stood, their bodies charred white. After a moment of examination, the epicenter of the blast fired a shockwave that crumbled the statues of ash, most of which sprayed onto the red dust which would serve as a grave to their cremated remains.

In the center of the basin, there stood the figure I saw travel through the dark plane. The area was eerily quiet as I hesitated to stand and approach the Cabal's assailant. Upon revealing myself, I watched the figure's head cock to the side and examine me. I approached carefully with my weapon shouldered and prepared to fire. Selana and Lukos stayed close behind, following suit in their own manner. Even at gunpoint, the metallic figure didn't flinch and simply watched quietly. He bore a shimmering dark gray and white armor that was designed to deflect glancing attacks with offset plates of matching shape and decreasing size as they trailed to the ends of his limbs. The metal was obviously created to offer optimal defensive capabilities without sacrificing speed or agility in combat. The bright ruby red cloth that concealed his face was tattered beyond recognition, and the complementing shreds on his body barely clung to the mysterious visitor's unique uniform, whipping in the wind with distinctive snaps in every gust. Before I could say anything, the still air was broken by the stranger's voice.

"Greetings, friends," he said in a very formal and respectful tone, deep and experienced. "My name is Theron Bremos. I intercepted your signal and arrived here as soon as I could manage. I am grateful I arrived in time. What are your names, if I may ask them of you?"

"Tharsos Katenos. This is Fireteam Shachal."

"Selana Kaiah."

"Lukos."

"Fireteam Shachal," he mumbled softly. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"What are you?" Lukos asked in a distrustful manner.

"Forgive my appearance. It has hindered the ability to identify my normally obvious classification," Theron removed the sash that was wrapped around his face. "I am an Exo. Have you seen any of my kind before? It has been so long since I have seen a kindred face, I cannot say without doubt if we exist any longer."

The left side of his face had a severe vertical gash set deeply through it that trailed from half way up his head to his jaw line. The shadow underneath it was pitch black, the inside of his skull invisible to my eyes. The eye caught within the wound was dark, but his right, a bright royal blue was tightly wrapped in a deep blue iris that glowed serenely. "My kind tends to accumulate their fair share of war wounds, especially when we are such old soldiers. It is, after all, what we were created for."

"Yeah, we know about Exo," Lukos answered him.

Theron was quiet before his response, "So there is hope yet."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked him curiously.

"Do not mind those words. Not yet, my friends. How long have you been here?"

"Two days. This is the start of our third," I said.

"I understand. In that case, you are in great need of departure from this planet, Guardians. But the task will not be undemanding, as you should know well by now."

"What class are you?" Selana questioned him.

"How do you mean?" he replied.

"Those things you did. I didn't recognize those abilities. What kind of Guardian are you?"

He cocked his head to the side slightly and stared at her, "Kind of Guardian, you say?" Then he gazed into space. "I do not know. As an Outcast, I cannot correctly say if I am even a Guardian any longer. If I may ask, what kind of Guardians are you, friends?"

I glanced at my comrades. Lukos shrugged, "Hunter."

Selana answered, "A Warlock."

"Titan," I told him.

"I recognize those terms. They are not new references. But as for me, I am neither Warlock, Titan, nor Hunter, yet I am all three."

"Huh?" Lukos mumbled.

"Now is not the time to linger with questions, young Guardians. The fight is not yet over, as more of the wretched beasts below are coming to replace their allies. Are you prepared to battle?"

"As ready as we were a few minutes ago," Lukos muttered, shuffling to the grotto as soon as the next wave's roars were heard echoing through the windstorm.

"Prepare yourselves, friends. They are sending more than their standard military this time. They will not be vanquished as easily as the last were."

"You make it sound like it was so simple," Selana responded.

"I speak for you. I hardly remember the extremes of difficulty and the shallows of simplicity for myself. I just do as I must, for the war is not over."

I stared at the stranger. Could any of us deny that he seemed a little odd? But he was tremendously powerful and I wouldn't turn aside the aid, especially in our circumstances. For the first time though, I noticed he didn't hold any kind of firearm. To my surprise, he withdrew a long ninjato from his back, much like Sideros had in the past with his wakizashi. The next line of Cabal emerged, more frightening and irate than the previous attackers.

Theron was right. It was more than Legionnaires this time. I saw several Centurions amidst the crowd push their way through to the frontlines. A deep and hoarse bellow followed as he commanded his troops and peers to attack.

"And so it comes," Theron said with a tranquil tone of clarity. Then, he vanished. I hugged the corner of the cavern's mouth closest to our foes and fired upon what adversaries were most vulnerable. A swift series of white flashes of light bursted where several Cabal troops stood, only to show proof of their incineration and join Mars' red dust in white flakes of ash. A violent explosion of gunfire erupted from our lines as my team and I tried to conclude the assault with a glimmer of hope just beginning to restore our resolve to survive. The weight of my physical burdens felt distant and I knew our probability for living would increase with our amplified aggression.

Storming for the battlefield with our new acquaintance already there, I ignored every measure of fatigue and pain that hindered me from getting my team off of Mars alive. Our fate was unknown to us. I had faith we would make it, but assuming we didn't, I wanted to go out right. From the corners of my eyes, I saw Selana and Lukos join me in the display of carnage awaiting our arrivals. Greeting my enemies with the same generosity they would have given me or my comrades if we were to be captured, I pumped my legs as much as I could before leaping at the commanding Centurion, grabbing his face and enveloping it as much as myself with an electrical scene of annihilation. Throwing my weight into my hold, I shoved his trembling skull into the solid rock wall behind him.

His blood splattered on the wall and on me, but it was a mere occurrence of war, and ignoring the coat of blood on my visor, I continued to hurl myself from one opponent to the next, I searched for and found the swiftest means of extermination, whether by snapping thick necks or crushing them with force beyond their expectations for a half-dead Guardian.

All around me, Lukos, Selana, and the stranger, Theron, whom of which was barely visible to me, executed the Cabal without mercy. Yet they refused to yield their assault, and no matter how many we killed, more refilled the ranks.

The massacre continued, for a time, until I heard Selana call to the rest of us, "Everyone, get back now! Two Praetorians are coming!" We backpedaled and jumped backward to prepare for the challengers that came to test our wills. The smaller counterparts parted and dispersed at their coming and let them pass ahead to crush us in an area too small to maneuver. I stayed on my toes, prepared to make any necessary move to counter theirs, but my focus was drawn when the Praetorians grunted in surprise in fear as they sniffed at the air. A commotion broke out amongst their troops like they suddenly cared less for our lives and more theirs. Strides struck the earth like quakes I had never felt before. Even the Praetorians footfalls fell short in comparison.

Soon, I heard the intervals between steps decrease and screams from Legionnaires. Their distancing cries suggested they were falling a great distance. Something was throwing them over the edge of the mountain. The Praetorians turned to meet the approaching thunder, and fell silent when a lightly armored behemoth, far larger than they, appeared in the path's clearing, landed on all fours, and roared with a ferocious intensity that I could only compare to the Paladin we saw on the Moon. The difference in immensity between this Cabal and the Praetorians was like the difference between Praetorians and the Legionnaires. The battlefield shuddered before the long howl.

What happened next, I didn't expect. The massive Cabal, far more muscular and athletic than any other Cabal I had ever seen, jumped toward the Praetorians, striking one with his caestus-clad fist, shredding his counterpart's flesh and crushing his bone with the quick punch. The second of the Praetorians cowered in fear as it tried to step away. His escape was halted immediately when the immense Cabal thrust the first's spear into his inferior's skull with incredible speed. He then yanked the javelin from the fresh kill's head and let the heavy body fall unceremoniously to the ground in a heap of bleeding flesh like a fountain.

In utter fear of this creature's appearance, the other Cabal frantically started to clear from the basin's area. My newfound confidence took a hit. I hadn't faced anything more aggressive or brutal before. That much I could tell easily, just from looking into the monster's eyes, an act which he took offense to. Or perhaps as a challenge. I didn't like the way it was holding the spear or the way it was eyeing me. I got the feeling it was about to split me in two with a single lateral swing.

My prediction was sound, and I barely reacted in time as I felt a tidal wave of sheer force pass over me with the swing. By the time I picked my head up, he was already preparing for a fervent downward slash. I sidestepped and generated a Ward shield, deflecting the blow to the wall and away from my team. Although I managed to block the strike, which caused me to recoil a momentous amount, it only infuriated the Cabal even more, inciting him to magnify his frenzied rampage to an utterly shocking fast sequence of swings, slams, and thrusts to kill me.

Initially, I managed well enough to evade the strikes, but couldn't find an opportunity to fire the shotgun I had withdrawn for close quarters combat. The burden of my weakened body soon returned as I did my best to keep up with the attacks and effectively dodge them, but I could feel myself dwindling both in stamina and response times, and eventually one of the sweeping blows snagged my foothold and dropped me to the ground. Time felt like it slowed, even though every passing second felt shorter than that particular measure of time when I watched as the beast grunted with delight as it started to raise the rod in the air to smite my existence.

"Tharsos!" I heard my team yell, but there wasn't anything that was going to move me fast enough, even as I started to rise to my base. I blinked and when I opened my eyes, I stood staring at a plume of dust that shot forty feet into the air. I couldn't see anything but red and a fine stream of violet light dissipate from the center of the cloud of sand. I didn't even see the projectile slam into the Cabal from above, but I didn't move out of fear of getting struck by the behemoth, for I was too astounded, staring upon the indiscernible silhouette shrouded by the cloud before me.

The bystander Cabal observing seemed to be just as astonished as I was and stared dumbfounded into the sand that reduced visibility to nothing. The figure started to become a little identifiable when I saw what looked like a man vehemently rotated a sword of some kind to the side, hilt-deep in the top of the gigantic Cabal's skull. The shadow stood and placed his foot upon the corpse and violently pulled the blade from the flesh and bone it was acutely pierced within. With the still extremity clear of obstacles, the figure slammed his foot into the creature's skull, reducing it to nothing but a messy pile of shattered bone and bloody brain matter.

The figure shifted to his side and hefted a large weapon, aimed it at the watching Cabal, and fired a stream of missiles into the crowd, "Get you and your team together, Katenos!" With the nearby explosions having blasted into their targets, the dust settled and I stood gaping at the unanticipated sight of Sideros glaring at me from atop his unclean kill.

"Never thought I would have been happy to see you," Lukos said, trying to conceael his awestruck reaction.

"I had a visual from the sky. The Cabal are bound to deploy their remaining forces, Shachal. Do I need to relieve you of your command, Katenos, or can I trust you to efficiently lead my team?"

"Missed you too," Lukos toyed.

I smiled. For quite some time, I had wondered where he was; if I would ever see him again. I was glad, that of all entrances after such a long absence, this was the one he made. "Shachal, move up! We're going to clean the rest up."

Sideros glanced at me briefly before shifting his tense gaze to the oncoming Cabal soldiers. He aimed his rocket launcher, a unique one at that, sporting a sleek, metallic black paintjob, accented with earth-tone grays and golden yellow-orange designs. With his pull of the trigger, a horizontal array of a dozen miniature rockets fired from a canister that was launched just short of the tube, fanned across the basin's entrance and exploded on impact, resulting in small blinding flashes for a second after the blasts. After firing, he slung the weapon around his back, and equipped his scout rifle, firing rail rounds into the advancers.

Selana skidded forward, with Lukos behind, firing his sniper rifle, and opened fire on the gaps between the Rhinos' defenses with her auto rifle. After the first layer of the thick-skinned opposition was cleared, a powerful whirlwind swept in over us. I caught a glimpse of the _Volframio_ sweeping around the mountain's peak with the hatch wide open. As it descended behind us, loud gunshots rang from it and at its landing, I saw three men, unknown to me, leap down from the edge and charged for the fight with weapons shouldered and safeties off. Kaeneth, to my surprise, stooped at the edge of the hatch and fired a sniper rifle into our assailants, _"How are ya' kiddos doing?"_

"Damn good now that you're here!" Lukos exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

_"I told ya' not ta' screw this one up, lad,"_ Kaeneth chuckled. _"Guess I need ta' hold your hand after all."_

"What happened, old man? Did the good doctor leave early and disappointed with your vigor?" he laughed heartily.

_"Don't kid yourself, boy. I ought ta' smack ya' straight. Ya' wouldn't know what ta' do if ya' were in that situation," _Kaeneth relatiated cheerfully.

"Silence, you fools! Save your childish debates for another day!" Sideros growled. "Kill them all!"

_"Aye, boss,"_ Kaeneth said from the safety of our ship.

It had been too long since all of us were back together, fighting on the same grounds. The nostalgia was more than welcome, and I couldn't care less that it brought me a smile. The Cabal's champion, no matter how cruel to his inferiors, was dead, leaving the remnant of the company leaderless. With reinforcements assisting the three of us who had suffered the desert's humbling punishment, I knew there wasn't anything that could stand against us while we operated as a unit.

I jumped into the fray with the shotgun blasting point blank into the unorganized and surprised Cabal survivors caught between fighting and escaping from the ambush. Selana loosed a series of Nova Bombs into the pass clogged with troops, barricading the exit with a hurdle of mounds of flesh and armor. The accompanying fireteam, each of which wielded a customized shotgun apiece, sprinted into the remaining crowd of Cabal without hesitation or evasive movements. In unison, they jumped after the three Cabal nearest to them, put the barrels right in their opponents faces and fired buckshot through their dreadful maws. Afterwards, they cast various Guardian abilities of the three types into the cordoned off survivors. Those Rhinos that hadn't fled fell to the quick and accurate Golden Gun blasts from Lukos' revolver and Sideros' Nova Bomb infused fists piercing metal and flesh, grinding the organs within to unidentifiable mush pouring from the wounds as he yanked his hand from them.

The battlefield hushed to just a collection of heavy exhalations and dying breaths. As Shachal gathered around Sideros and the team leader of the fireteam that joined him, the two other soldiers explored the nearby area to execute what remained of the incapacitated Cabal forces.

* * *

A final shotgun blast from one of the Guardians accompanying Sideros and Kaeneth concluded the conflict I was sure would mark the end of my team and me. I exhaled, relieved my worst fears weren't realized.

"That's the last one," the executioner said, enthused. "A bloody day is a good day."

"I swear, ya're the craziest bastards I've ever met, Kion," Kaeneth stated, shaking his head. "And ya're the worst o' the three o' ya'."

"Really, Kaeneth? You're going to insult our lunacy when you would fit right in?" Kion laughed. "Don't forget that, because we'll take you in anytime you're ready for it."

"Aye, I'll remember that. And then when I join ya', we'll all make a sky drop one after the other, just ta' have ya' go last ta' giggle yourself ta' death while we're getting ready ta' give the ground a big, wet kiss, ya' twisted Warlock bastard."

Kion rolled out laughing, unable to control himself.

"See what I mean? That wasn't supposed ta' be funny. But here ya' are, laughing your ass off like there's no tomorrow."

"You see? That's how you gotta look at it. No tomorrows. Only today."

"I prefer your older brother. He's got dumb courage, but at least he's not insane," Kaeneth smirked.

"You'll come around. Just wait and see, Kaeneth."

"I'll pass. Shachal's ma' home. I'm not going anywhere," Kaeneth's small smile turned into a full bore grin as he shook my shoulder. "How are ya', lad?"

"Doing a lot better now that the Cabal aren't thinking of the next new way to decorate their borders with my body. And you? Why'd you come here with your arm in its condition?" I asked, truly concerned with his rash decision to come out here injured.

"Don't worry about it, Tharsos. I've had far worse in ma' time. At least I didn't bring 'Finger of God'. Ma' shoulder would have been in trouble if I fired her, but I just used a wee FWC one for this. And look! I'm perfectly fine."

"You are crazy," I joked.

"Ha! I ain't the only saying you've got a few loose screws," Kion burst out loudly.

"Shut the hell up, Kion!" his older brother shouted. "How many times do I have to say it? You're so damn loud, your thoughts can wake a barracks full of soldiers wearing earplugs. We're still in hostile territory, so if you don't want me to feed your tongue to the next Cabal we come across, keep your trap shut!"

"Brecho, did you notice how loud you just got right there?"

"What did I just say?" Brecho barked.

"Alright, alright. I get it."

I was halfway amused with their ranting. It reminded me of my brother and me when we were younger. A somewhat simpler time. I stepped aside and approached Selana, who had been quite silent since the end of the battle. She appeared exhausted more than any of us. I knew the dehydration would hit her hard, but I was relieved to know she was in a better state than we were or could have been in if help didn't arrive.

"Did you get some water?" I asked her.

My words didn't seem to reach her as she sat staring into space.

"Selana? Are you alright?"

"Hm?" she mumbled, blinking and shifting her gaze to me, "Oh, yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

"You sure? You seem kind of distant. Did something happen?"

"No, no. It's just the effects of the dehydration. Nothing to worry about," she justified with assuring eyes.

I could tell she was being dishonest with me, and it bothered me that she was hiding something, but I dismissed it for now in light of her condition, "You should get some rest. You took a harder hit than Lukos or me. I'll be there in a while, but if you're not feeling well, you need to relax, regardless of whether or not the debriefing is finished here. Your input can be given later."  
Selana agreed with a weak nod and started for the _Volframio_ at a slow pace. I watched as she entered the hold, sat down, and made herself as comfortable as she could before turning to join the company of Sideros and the leader of Fireteam Thuella.

"I still don't understand why they forbade entry into this airspace," Brecho thought out loud while rubbing his stubble. "Any patrols deem it unsafe recently?"

"I have not viewed any documentation myself, but I had little need to do so. Dead Orbit observes Mars closely, out of fear the Cabal may get eager to expand their dominion. It would not be odd for the Council to deny exploration of a region determined to be extremely dangerous to any and all personnel investigating it."

"All valid points, but why would they send Fireteam Shachal here though?" Brecho asked. "If it is a forbidden sector, of course."

"I do not know exactly, but I will uncover the truth."  
"I heard the Warlock girl guessed it was a Seven Seraphs mission due to its historical nature. You think there's any credibility to that claim?"

Sideros looked to his side, "It is inconclusive, but no other leads are present to follow."

"You don't think the Seven Seraphs is responsible for this, do you?" Brecho's son, Chalzao asked nervously.

"We're not blaming anyone. For all we know this happened because of a miscommunication, which is what it most likely was," Brecho explained, gripping his son's shoulder. "Lighten up. Councilman Manda wouldn't approve of anything like this."

"Currently, the most pressing matter is this device that Fireteam Shachal discovered," Sideros started, holding my attention. "Lead the way."

I trudged on toward the mouth and met up with Lukos along the way, who joined me for the rest of the walk. Brecho turned, "Kion! Kaeneth! Come here." Sideros, Kaeneth, and all three members of Fireteam Thuella accompanied Lukos and me to the prism housed within the pit of the chasm at the end of the cavern. It hadn't changed in appearance again, nor did it revert to its former state. Our seven wandering gazes scanned the bronze coated object in silence.

"What is it? What is its purpose?" Sideros snapped to me.

"Selana examined it and couldn't identify it. She just said the readings seemed familiar."

He glared through me, "Any physical contact made?"

"Yes, Selana touched it while it was clear and illuminated. Shortly after, this shell appeared around it at every face. We left it alone afterwards."

"Should we take it with us?" Brecho asked Sideros.

The Exo observed its tranquil gleam and nodded, "Aside from Atos, everyone take a hold." Six of us positioned ourselves uniformly around the device, squatted and gripped what meager lips we could find at the base. "Heave." We lifted with our legs, but against all of our strains, it resisted us with an overwhelming weight."

"Damn, what the hell is in this thing?!" Kion grunted.

"Nothing that we could tell," I said between breaths.

Lukos let go and stepped back, "We aren't moving this thing by any means we have available right now. Best chance is to notify an excavation team."

Sideros growled lowly before releasing his hold as well and stepped back to observe the elongated prism.

"Acknowledged, we shall ext-"

A powerful concussive blast emanated from the object, interrupting Sideros, and sent all of us flying away from the point of dispersion. The prism, though retaining its bronze colored shell, darkened as if being set into a deep grave.

"What was that?" Chalzao asked from his kneeling stance.

"Defense mechanism," Kion said with amazement. "That was fun. Let's do it again."

"Back off, Kion!" Brecho demanded. "Don't test waters you don't know. And don't test me either."

"We better keep our hands off," Lukos said. "Maybe next time it'll try harder."

"It's a gamble leaving it here. We don't know if it'll even be here once an excavation unit arrives. What are you going to do Sideros?" Brecho said, recovering from the shockwave.

"We have no choice but to leave it behind. I will not jeopardize the lives of either of these units. Furthermore, they are in need of examination in the City. Loiter if you feel you must, but we will be leaving soon."  
"Alright, you're our ride, so I'm not gonna sit on some fancy bench and wait to be cornered just like your junior leaguers here," Brecho responded.

Lukos glared at him for his remark. I knew half of him wanted to keep his mouth shut to appear uncaring, and the other half took offense and wanted to retaliate. I gave him a single shake of my head. As bluntly as they put their words, they helped save us, and I wasn't going to have my team appear ungrateful just after they mounted a rescue.

We departed reluctantly, leaving the dim bronze prism alone in the cave behind and entered the _Volframio_ and dropped our weary bodies into our seats. Lukos shifted in his chair and cursed at the excessive amounts of sand that had found rest upon it. I went to sit down by a still Selana who had expressed feeling sick upon my entrance and approach. Before ushering her to a much needed sleep, I gathered what attention I could from her, "You were right."

"About?" she asked, adjusting herself in her chair to face me.

"I could relate to Lukos more than I thought. Thank you for not showing any doubt in him when I did."

"What did I do?" she laughed lightly.

"If you didn't straighten me out, I could have easily given up on him a long time ago."

"You give me too much credit, Tharsos. You and Lukos would have figured something out eventually, even without my incessant complaints."

"You're giving yourself too little. You're the glue that holds this team together. If you weren't here, we would just unravel beyond repair," I debated with her, staring into her tired eyes. "I need you to know that."

Selana met my gaze and smiled, "Why?"

"I'm supposed to be the authority that leads this team. I'm beginning to appreciate that it isn't an easy task and I need someone at my side."

I wondered if she heard my plea as I watched her heavy eyes succumb to sleep at my side. "Okay," she said just before submitting to the rest entirely.

Letting out a long sigh, I stretched back and looked across the hold. Lukos threw me an affirmative nod of respect and understanding that I never expected to receive from him. I returned the gesture and sat quietly in the hold as Thuella rambled on to themselves in the gloom. For the first time, I realized I didn't see Theron during the end of the battle on the mountain. He must have disappeared when Sideros and Fireteam Thuella joined the frontlines. As I thought about it, I wondered why, and the only answer I could come to was that he didn't want to be found. He was an Outcast, after all, and anyone involved with the City was just short of being an enemy. For whatever reason though, he decided to reveal himself to our team, and some of his behaviors and statements left me with an inquisitive mind with no apparent source to refer to.

Aside from the fact that my questions would likely go unanswered, I knew there was at least a few gains we achieved on Mars. First of all, we survived thanks to several helping hands, Theron included. I owed much to every one of them. The existence of some foreign, yet significant object with more mysteries than known truths within was awaiting recovery from an excavation team. Trust had been built between us as well, especially with Lukos, who had, for the first time, opened up to any of us. He having not even told Kaeneth of his past shocked me, but I began to welcome the fact that our group was becoming stronger and more tight-knit, all mostly due to the credit of Lukos' newfound devotion to Shachal. Knowing him, he wouldn't have wanted to hear it from anyone, but I was especially appreciative of his growing loyalty. It gave me more confidence in our team altogether.

I removed my helmet, took the canteen next to Selana, and filled my mouth with lukewarm, but refreshing water before joining my team in a relaxing ride back home, where I would address some of the concerns and curiosities I had with the mission with whoever I could find that would listen to them. After a brief collection of thoughts, I fell asleep, envious of Selana for having done so earlier, listening to Kion hum a terrible and unwelcome tune to everyone in the hold with far worse lyrics being sung in between.


	25. Chapter 25: Sins

Chapter 25: Sins

Shuddering in a cold sweat, Selana thrashed up from her bed with an abrupt gasp of shock. Searching for the images that had just terrified her yet again, she pulled her shivering legs up to her chest and hugged them tightly, feeling her pounding heart beat behind her thighs. For a few minutes, she sat quivering in the darkness of her quarters before taking a deep sigh of relief, comforted that she was only having a nightmare. Her head throbbed and she felt cold as she revisited the memory of her perplexing dream that kept repeating night after night for three days.

She couldn't understand why the dreams of the same fleeting images that felt so individually vivid and real recurred with astonishing likeness time after time. It felt as if she was there, experiencing the very events herself. They felt too genuine to be dismissed as mere dreams, but she knew they weren't memories of some past experiences either, as she had already become accustomed with the nightmare's foreign flashes. Trying to push them aside, she took in what started as erratic and laborious breaths and released them as carefully and controlled as she could. Before lying her head back down on her soft mattress, she attempted to meditate on it, but to no avail. As distinctly realistic as the events appeared, she couldn't make any apparent sense of them, and for the following hours, she felt herself give up on deciphering the incomplete puzzle that it seemed to be.

Horrified and restless, she lied in her room, massaging her chilled skin until the light of day broke through her windows' luxurious drapes and warmed her to the touch. Selana arose shortly after and prepared for the day she would spend keeping her nightmare to herself. Initially frightened, she repeated to herself that it was best concerns were kept from her team and Tharsos especially. After getting dressed, she proceeded to follow her daily routine with a warm smile on her face.

* * *

The tender warmth of spring was as refreshing as one could ever be at the end of a long and cold winter in the City. A gentle breeze with only a hint of the frosty air remaining swept through its streets and comforted everyone with a caressing touch. As often as Shachal had been active recently, Selana hadn't had the opportunity to fully appreciate the changing of seasons this year. Even under the shade of the Traveler, the heightened sun heated the gusts comfortably enough to draw many of the City's denizens outside to enjoy the breath of fresh and relaxing air. Welcoming merchants left their doors, if they had them, wide open to any and all customers looking for further refreshment. Families roamed around the neighborhoods as if every worry was absent from their minds. Children, taking advantage of the balmy weather, played on the quietly bustling streets to their hearts' content. Even Selana had forgotten of her nightmares for a brief moment as she listened to the innocent laughter of their enjoyment surround her, and for the first time today, she wasn't hiding herself behind a forced smile.

As she continued, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, to which she couldn't ignore. Lukos, somewhat awkward around the presence of so many strangers. inspected an outdoor merchant's produce. Stopping near him, she drew his attention with a gracious greeting, "Good morning, Lukos. How are you today?"

He shot his eyes up, searching for the unexpected party and laughed, "Hey, Selana. I'm doing good. Just trying to get some breakfast. How about you?"

She acknowledged his response politely and in doing so, sought for her answer, "I'm well. I thought I would take a late morning stroll in the City. It's a beautiful day after all."

Lukos, having just purchased an apple from the salesman, nodded as he looked about. He took a bite of the crisp fruit's skin, "Sure is. Finally we can enjoy a good day without a fight for once, right?"

Selana's lips curled into a small grin, "Were you only going to have that?"

"This?" Lukos asked, presenting his early meal to her in hand. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind joining me for breakfast."

"Me? Really? Where's Tharsos? I figured you two would have been out enjoying this fine morning," he replied with surprise.

"Oh, he's been busy, I guess. I don't really know what he's doing exactly. To my knowledge, he hasn't been at the barracks very often the last few days."

The Hunter took a long and careful look into her eyes, "Everything okay between you two? I normally wouldn't ask, but..."

"Everything's fine, thank you," Selana chuckled. "I'm sure he has good reason for whatever he's doing, and if it's anything important, at least one of us will hear about it."

Lukos, satisfied, presented a fleeting smirk.

"So?" Selana asked.

"Hm? Oh, the breakfast," he said thoughtfully. "I don't know, Selana. I'm not really that kind of guy that's welcome in...any establishment really."

"I understand," Selana sighed.

He frowned at her disappointed expression, "You know what? I would like to join you for breakfast."

"You will?" she asked with delight. "Thank you, Lukos. I would enjoy the company."

"Yeah, yeah. No problem."

They strolled down the street to an unspecified location to Lukos' knowledge, passing citizens and letting them pass during their walk. The sun started to ascend further into the sky as Selana and Lukos stepped into and out of the buildings' overcast shadows. Before reaching their destination, Selana started another conversation.

"Do you know anything about what happened with the excavation team sent to Mars?" she asked Lukos.

He shook his head, "Not much. Kaeneth got a hold of me yesterday. Said they left the night before to get an early look. Too bad they couldn't prepare the team sooner. Aside from that though, I'm not sure if a report has even been made yet."

"Do you think that has something to do with whatever Tharsos is involved in?" Selana asked.

"Could be, but I can't say for sure," Lukos answered. "For all I know, the guy's out meeting an escort, if you know what I mean." Selana scowled playfully at his snickering with a smirk replacing it afterward. "I'm just kidding," he chuckled.

Selana rolled her head forward and laughed herself, "Thank you, Lukos."

"For what?" he replied.

"For being there," she responded to him. "There have been a lot of times where you made actions count most. Some of us-maybe none of us-might not even be here without your contributions."

Lukos glanced at her and tried to lighten the mood with a brief smile, "It's nothing. The same applies to everyone else on the team. Without a joint effort, none of us would be standing. That includes you too, Selana. Without you, I don't know how disfigured or dismembered we would be after our ops. I don't think I necessarily want to, but I could say Tharsos wouldn't be here if you weren't there in Old Denver."

She looked back on the events of their first mission together in the wastes of Old Denver. How much different would it have been without any of them there to experience it? If Lukos or Kaeneth weren't present, much of their support would have been lost and victory would have been an unlikely result. Sideros' leadership at the time drove them to survive and fight as a unit. She thought if Tharsos wasn't there, she very well could have remained pinned in the governmental facility and overrun with Fallen. Thinking on it herself, she realized just how correct Lukos was. Selana looked at him with agreement.

"See? It's not all me. I'm just a single piece that makes this whole machine do what it does," he added. "So I owe you as much thanks as any of us owe to each other."

"I understand, but thank you very much anyway."

"It's what we do," Lukos sighed with a grin.

A pause ensued before Selana decided to tread on delicate grounds, "I know about you now. Your Outcast history."

He didn't speak for a moment, "So Tharsos told you."

"Not everything I think, but the important parts I assume. I'm sorry if that offends you."

"No, it's okay. I trust him, and he trusts you. Hell, what am I saying? I trust you just as much, Doc. I do."

Selana nodded respectfully, "I'm sorry, Lukos. I know it mustn't have been an easy life for you."

"It wasn't, but it wasn't your fault."

She relieved him of the conversation without offering a spoken response.

"Damn, I can't believe I said that," Lukos scoffed to himself.

"What?"

"That I trust you guys," he responded. "I haven't said that to anyone before."

Selana didn't hide the wide smile on her face, "I trust you too, Lukos."

He appeared partially taken aback with her reply, but seemed to also like what he heard and expressed his appreciation. no holds barred, "Thanks."

She eyed him closely and extended her thought, "I don't know if you've realized it yet, but you've earned more than most of us have in this team, with you being in what some would call a disadvantage of status in the City. I want you to know that there isn't anyone who could replace you or perform any better than you have." Selana took a moment to let her comment sit and stir before continuing, "There is one thing that we all share here in Shachal."

Lukos, having meditated on her words, asked, "Yeah, what's that?"

"It's become our home. We're like a family."

He took it in and smirked, "Yeah, maybe you're right, Selana. Maybe you're right."

"The universe is full of uncertainties, but this isn't one of them. You might not accept it fully now, but one day you will."

"You think?"

"I know," she said with an ironclad confidence. "Don't argue with me on this, Lukos."

The Hunter laughed, "Okay, I won't." He set his gaze ahead and began to feel a little more welcome; a little more comfortable. "So..." Selana faced him, curious with his current statement's tone. "Who's buying?"

She shook her head as his comedic side was brought forward. The existence of a long-time friend made to her long ago was finally made apparent to him. Selana only hoped she earned his friendship in the same way as they made their way to a delicious meal to begin their day with.

* * *

The air was stifling. I straightened my uniform in the lounge's exceptionally padded seats as I waited for my meeting. Sitting alone in the waiting area, I couldn't have imagined how much worse the atmosphere of the room would have been with more visitors. I took it few ever came here. Perhaps that explained the size of the small lobby I had been sitting in for the better part of the last hour. Getting an appointment was no simple task, and aside from my desire to speak with my host, I desperately wanted to get my conference underway just to escape my discomforting surroundings. But I hadn't been called on and my patience was being tested in some ways I never experienced on a battlefield.

At long last, I was called by one of the office's assistants, and was led through the lavish lodgings' halls and adjoined rooms until I stood just outside of my destination's door. The aide opened the door up to me and spoke softly to the occupant within, "Councilman Manda, Guardian Katenos is here to speak with you, sir."

Though older than me, the young politician stood from his large chair and greeted me with a smile and a welcoming gesture of his hand, "Let him in, thank you. Have a seat."

I entered and approached one of the guest chairs in front of his desk as his secretary closed the door gently behind me, "Sir, thank you for seeing me with such short notice. I imagine you're exceptionally occupied with the affairs of the Council."

He sighed and dismissed my apologetic salutation with a wave of his hand, "Don't mind it so much. I could say you're busy enough with recuperating from your operations, no? Though I have little time to spare, I am not against sparing it when I have the opportunity to. How is it I may help you, Tharsos? May I call you by your first name? Referring to you as 'Guardian Katenos' can become quite tiring, you know. Formalities aren't always my most preferred means of communicating, so please speak frankly."

"Yes, sir. I'm fine with it as long as you are," I sighed. "I'm having trouble deciding where to begin."

"Where it should be started. At the beginning," he said courteously. "I take it you haven't come here to inquire me of military or commercial dealings, so whom or what is it you are wishing to learn more about?"

His understanding of my visitation's reasons made discussing delicate matters a bit easier, "First, I wondered if you would be able to offer me any information regarding the excavation team's success, or lack thereof, in acquiring the object on Mars?"

Councilman Manda hummed lowly and leaned forward in his chair before rubbing his hands together, "I'm speaking off of the record here, Tharsos. By protocol, this information would be briefed to you at a later time, but knowing how close you and your team are to this dilemma, I feel that I can spare us both the regulations for once. We received a report from the excavation teams yesterday morning. The good news is they arrived and left without harm. The unfortunate news, however, as Shachal and Thuella expressed fearfully, is that the artifact was transported by the Cabal before we could study it. Furthermore, the Cabal occupation of the nearby vicinities has dwindled to nil for now. Where they or the object they are defending are now is a mystery to us. I'm sorry we couldn't retrieve it for further examination."

I couldn't hide my feelings regarding the disappointing news, "Understood, sir."

"Hey, you did the right thing getting your team to safety, kid. I realize it was a difficult decision leaving an item of potentially significant importance behind, but you understood your priorities better than most people would have. Your team was in no condition to overexert a possibly dangerous relic's extraction. You should be proud of your decision."

Accepting his reply, I affirmed it with a rigid nod, "Thank you."

The Seven Seraphs Councilman observed me closely, "That's not the only reason you're here, is it?"

"No, sir. During the Cabal's advance, an Exo appeared and assisted us in the fight. He introduced himself between waves and mentioned he was an Outcast. I was wondering if your administration had any information on him or why he was banished from the City."

"What was this Exo's name?"

"Theron Bremos. I don't know his classification. His abilities were...unique."

The official arose from his seat and approached the broad wall to my left. As he scanned the holographic filing system that appeared from its complex array of options, I watched and waited. After a sequence of redirections and security access routines, he ran through a file that I could only guess contained records of all the people who had been exiled over the centuries of the City's history. At last, he showed signs of discovering the record in question and made a holographic copy of it appear from his desk's projector in front of me.

"Theron Bremos. Here he is. Guardian classification is listed as Hunter, but added at a later date, it was updated to 'other'." The Councilman paused, obviously intrigued with the odd nature of such a record. "I must say I'm surprised he's still out there."

"Why is that?"

"He was banished from the City over four hundred years ago."

Utterly shocked with the figure, I sat quietly and contemplated living in the Wilderness for four hundred years. He had been fighting for centuries out there, when most people likely couldn't hope to last for half a lifetime. Another curiosity I desired to know more about hit me next, "On what charge?"

Councilman Manda looked back down at the file and skimmed through the account, "According to the trial documentation, he was deemed a threat to the City. The decision was unanimous. No further details concerning the reasons for this danger were listed."

"How many Guardians have been able to manipulate two or all three of the classes' techniques?" I asked my host.

He appeared extremely interested as he searched the Seven Seraphs database for the records. After a small delay, his expression seemed to bear disappointment, "None."

It started to make a little more sense to me. I remembered what he said to us about being 'none of these, yet all three'. Never had a Guardian wielded so much power at once. It was no wonder that the City's officials would have wanted to keep it a secret from the population. If someone was to get any ideas, they could pose a threat to themselves or anyone they brought into greedy gains of strength. And trying to comprehend the strain such potent levels of Light would have on the body was beyond my imagination. Concerning humans and Awoken, it would have left their bodies in such a far more decadent state than they would find themselves with only one class of training. I could understand why the Council had decided to exile him from the City. His capabilities astounded them to the point that they grew fearful of what he could do if he were to lose control of the measure of power he had achieved. Yet at the same time, I didn't know if I could have decided his sentence when there was no apparent lack of devotion to the City's defense.

"Thank you, sir," I said, coming out of thought.

"Was that all you sought?" Manda asked me, his gaze fixated on me with attentiveness.

What I thought next was a matter I had been debating with difficulty and for a time, some vacillation. But I felt there was more to the puzzle, "Can you tell me about Lukos Chorvo's father? I don't know his name, but I can imagine it would be in his file."

"Another Outcast, correct?" he exhaled from his seat.

"Yes."

Lukos' file appeared and from it, the Councilman linked us to his father's attached dossier. I studied what information was relevant to Leon Chorvo's records. Guardian classification: Hunter. Commended for bravery in large scale offensive sieges, performing more than several rescue missions, and outstanding success in high priority assassination missions. Married to Nesha Maerah. No children. Banished from the Last City in 2687 for murdering New Monarchy High Councilman. Current status: Unknown.

It was no mystery it said he had no children. Documentation ended after exile and all else afterwards remained ambiguous. As I suspected, Lukos was either ignorant of the gravity of his father's crime, or he failed to tell me that the official his father killed was a High Councilman. I examined the information closely. There was one thing that bothered me. The information that concerned Leon Chorvo's current status. Lukos described his executioners as soldiers. Not other Outcasts or alien life forms. There was more to this story than what was evident. If an order was issued to investigate a troublesome Outcast essentially trespassing and attacking FOTC personnel or property, which is what Lukos and his father were arguably doing, record of it would have been documented in the Outcast's file. Yet here, it plainly said his status was unknown.

I kept the thoughts to myself as I made eye contact with an especially observant Councilman Manda, "Thank you for your assistance, sir."

"Find everything you were looking for, Tharsos?"

"I believe so, yes."

"If you have anything else to ask me, please feel free to do so," he said graciously, closing the files once being viewed before us. I returned to my feet and began to approach the door before I stopped and tempted a dangerous comment, "There is something else, sir."

"What is it?"

"My team and I hypothesized that our previous mission was issued by the Seven Seraphs administration due to its historical nature and purpose. Is there any truth to that?"

He sighed and eased himself in his chair, "Yes. I was reluctant to withdraw attention from the most pressing ordeal, but I authorized that order. Why do you ask?"

I stared at him momentarily before shaking my head, "If we had any questions I wanted to know who to refer to for more information."

The Councilman chuckled, "Well, you know where to find me then."

"I heard the airspace over our distress signal was restricted as well. Do you know why?" I asked him.

"Restricted, you say?" he asked, beginning to look into space thoughtfully. "Did you or your teammates have any theories as to why it was restricted?"

I observed him keenly, "Miscommunication. I just thought I would ask to learn if any further light could be shed on it."

My host hummed to himself and furrowed his eyebrows, "Thank you for pointing this out to me, Tharsos. I'll be sure to address the issue appropriately. I hate to give you an unwelcome impression, but I have spared you as much time as I can offer you at the moment. Forgive me for having to run out on you."

"It's fine, sir. I was on my way out. Again, thank you for your assistance."

"You're most welcome. Do visit again, should you have any questions or concerns, kid. My door's always open."

I spun on my heel and exited Councilman Manda's office with more than one suspicion plaguing my thought process. Even some I didn't want to think about. Piecing the picture together would likely prove to be an arduous job, but I was prepared to learn whatever else I could to discover what truths needed to be brought to light. Even if that risked tearing down some walls. A half truth wasn't much different from a lie, and I wanted to determine if I still had another portion to uncover.

* * *

"She loaded up?" Kaeneth asked a nearby technician on his way to the _Volframio_.

"As far as I know, yes. A supply cache was delivered earlier and loaded in the armory. I was told a special delivery was made for a Selana Kaiah. Package is on the bench."

"Thanks. I'll make sure she gets it," Kaeneth replied and stopped the specialist from leaving. "Hey! How much longer before diagnostics are complete? We need ta' get this vessel up and in the air as soon as possible."

"Not much longer, sir."

"Okay," the Scot sighed, starting for the ship resting ajar. Within the cockpit, Petros ran systems checks on atmosphere containment, life support, and thruster efficiencies. Upon his entering of the armory, Kaeneth saw Sideros run inventory on nothing but the firepower stock stored within. "Got enough water and rations, Kauson?"

The Exo paused for a second without speaking and responded with a cold look of disdain toward the Hunter's sarcasm.

Kaeneth chuckled to himself as he thought about the typical behavior of an Exo, especially one like Sideros who had little else other than warfare in mind. He stopped at the doorway that led to the cockpit and glanced at the port-side wall of the armory to see his sniper rifle mounted high in the shadow just beyond the beam of light's reach. He frowned with disappointment and cursed the fact that his arm was wounded. Using such mediocre rifles as the one he used to help rescue Shachal was such an underwhelming experience, and he couldn't wait to have his arm back at full capacity. Peeling his eyes away, he greeted Petros at the bow of the ship, "How are things?"

"Excellent, Kaeneth. All systems are operating at prime statuses."

Kaeneth laughed to himself quietly in thought of the irony. "Any word on the kids getting here?"

"They have been notified and are en route. I expect they should be arriving at any minute now," the Ghost replied. "Are stocks restored? We're nearly prepared for departure."

"Kauson's in the kitchen preparing an explosive flavor o' weapons for us."

Petros rotated to the fore of the bridge's controls, either ignoring the joke or failing to understand Kaeneth's implied message. "Our guests have just arrived."

The Vanguard grinned and walked quickly to the ship's exit to see half a dozen Guardians approach the _Volframio_ in a staggered and casual formation. "Well, how about that? Having all o' ya' here at once will have us underway in no time."

Kion's smug smirk was a secret to no one as he walked toward the vessel, "You think we would wait around when there are some Cabal scumbags that need killing?"

"Aye. At least your sorry ass anyway. I figured ya' would be visiting the bars ta' celebrate whatever it is ya're wanting ta' celebrate," Kaeneth said, waving his hand around as he searched for the term.

"Kaeneth, Kaeneth," the Warlock began, clicking his tongue. "Bullets before booze, my friend. Do you not know me?"

"I don't think anyone knows ya', Kion. Including yourself."

Kion proceeded to laugh to himself as Kaeneth welcomed both Fireteam Shachal and Thuella. "I don't think any o' ya' have been properly introduced." Without suggestion, Shachal and Thuella stood apart from each other with Kaeneth serving as the mediator and mutual associate. "Thuella, this is Tharsos, Selana, and Lukos," he said, presenting each of them with his open hand. "Shachal, this is the Adelphos family. Brecho is their team leader. Kion's the crazy bastard, and the shy lad is Chalzao."

"A family, huh?" Lukos murmured from Kaeneth's left side. "How's the tree organized?"

Brecho, a man less than a decade younger than Kaeneth, answered for his team in a stern fashion, "Kion's my younger brother." Overjoyed, he smiled at the mentioning of his name. "Chalzao's my son."

"How long have you been working as a unit?" Selana inquired.

"My brother and I have been working together for nearly as long as he's been out of the Academy. My son graduated a few years ago, so it depends on how you look at it. Either way, we know each others' strengths and weaknesses better than most others would know a stranger's."

"You're joining us again?" Tharsos then asked.

"I heard you guys needed some support for this next op. We've been long time friends of Shachal and wouldn't turn them down, should they need the helping hand."

Tharsos acknowledged the offer with respect and continued, "We haven't expressed our gratitude properly either. From all of us, I want to thank you for pitching in back on Mars."

"Don't worry about it, kid. I owe so much to Shachal, the debt's as good as paid as far as I'm concerned. I only ask you offer us the same courtesy when we get out there again. There's no knowing what kind of resistance we'll run into."

"We owe a lot to Theulla now too. We'll watch your back," Tharsos responded.

Brecho approved of his assurance with a stiff nod before the Guardians followed Kaeneth into the _Volframio_. "She still good to you guys?" he said, scanning the ship's interior. "It sure isn't the youngest of ships, but she still looks to be in as good of shape as she was years ago."

Kaeneth smirked and looked about the inner hull himself, "Aye, she's home and she's going ta' stay that way for a long time." Moving on as if halfhearted, he called into the cockpit, "Hey, Petros, we're all aboard! Take it up!" With an abrupt lurch, the hatch proceeded to shut behind the group of Guardians as they took their seats in the passenger hold. "Selana, ya' have a delivery here for ya' when ya're ready ta' give it a look."

"Thank you, Kaeneth," she said with a polite smile.

"I've had a lot of memories on this ship," Brecho exhaled. "Good and bad."

Kion pursed his lips as he glanced at his older brother, "So this was the one, huh?"

"Yeah."

"You've been on this ship before?" Selana, too curious to stay silent, asked.

"Several times. It's been a long time though. Over fifteen years now, I would say."

"Ya' haven't been told, have ya' kiddos?" Kaeneth queried Shachal. "There were many times in the past when Brecho assisted us. He was never a part o' the team itself, but more than a few times he served as a supporting Guardian in our missions. Damn fine Titan. One o' the best there is."

All of Shachal's members listened closely, but Tharsos most of all, studied his senior with curiosity. Kaeneth, having taken notice of his reaction, choked on his fear of uttering a further word, "Won't ever be the same, though."

"No, it won't, brother," Brecho said solemnly, clenching his jaw.

"You knew Thumos Katenos?" Tharsos asked from out of the hushed atmosphere.

"More than that. I served with him before Fireteam Shachal was even conceived. He was my leader in an FOTC relief team, Fireteam Tau. Why do you ask?"

Selana, and Lukos even, appeared to get an idea of where the conversation was headed and listened to the story closely, but none of the hold's occupants was as aware of the words spoken as Tharsos. "He was my father."

"Oh, so you're the Katenos boy I've been hearing about," Brecho grinned widely. "A pleasure to meet you, son. Your father was a good soldier, an even better man, and one of the best friends someone could ask for. I owed him every breath of my life since meeting him. I can't even think of the number of times he saved my ass. You should be proud of him, even if his memory is hard to revisit."

Thumos' son nodded in the shadows without speaking for a moment. "Were you there when he died? No one's told me exactly what happened that day."

Brecho stared at Tharsos for a brief time before replying, "No, but I wish I was. If I could have, I would have taken the blow that killed him. There isn't a doubt in my mind. If you're sure you want to hear that story though, you need to ask those that were there."

Kaeneth watched Tharsos look to him. He seemed to search for his approval. The Scot sighed, and with a disinclined question, caught a glimpse of the awaiting audience setting their gazes on him, "Are ya' sure ya' want ta' hear it, Tharsos?"

He witnessed Tharsos' silhouette confirm the request, calm and suggestively averse as well oddly enough; almost as if he dreaded the things he might have heard. "Damn. I guess there was no avoiding the thought o' that day with us going ta' the Buried City," Kaeneth commented, trailing off. "I don't know if I can retell this again, but I'll do ma' best." He cleared his throat, like an old, sad narrator, "At the time, the leadership o' the Last City was desperate ta' reclaim possession o' the Buried City for its innumerable artifacts stored in its many vaults. Supposedly, during the Golden Age, it was a treasure trove o' wealth. Knowledge and weapons even. There haven't been many sieges like the one that was made then. Thousands o' Guardians were deployed ta' retake the city, including Fireteam Shachal. We were primarily tasked with scouting and adaptively countering enemy transitions by repositioning our own forces. We, among a few others, were the leadership on the battlefield. As soon as we touched down, we were headed into the heart o' the city ta' find a missing reconnaissance unit. Ta' make a long story short, we found them and pursued a Fallen and Cabal convoy responsible for the deaths o' the team. The fight was tough as hell. There were probably between fifty and sixty hostiles, but we were managing decently. Thumos and Kauson were on the ground as I took them out from a perch. Within a few minutes, they were nearly wiped out, but Thumos and Kauson were engaged by the caravan's leaders." Kaeneth paused momentarily and collected himself, "Your father took a hit meant for Kauson. That huge Fallen Admiral that captured Lukos in Old Denver was the one who did it. He bled out right in front o' Kauson and me. If I only had one more bullet we probably wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Don't blame yourself for his death, Kaeneth," Brecho said compassionately.

The Scot chuckled and lowered his head, "Aye, I'll try not ta'." Lukos also withdrew his fascinated expression and avoided eye contact from any of the present Guardians, for the latest share of thoughts impacted him too. As if being able to see each others' hearts, the company of Guardians grew silent regarding Fireteam Shachal's past generation. Respects were offered not just to Thumos Katenos, but to all that had fallen in the Buried City that day.

To himself, Tharsos recalled the service that he had attended in honor of his father's memory. He remembered feeling afraid and alone in the crowd of those who suffered from a pain similar to his own. He remembered seeing soldiers on the podium. At the time, he didn't know who they were, but revisiting the memory, he realized the two individuals honored on the stage were his father's teammates and closest friends, Kaeneth and Sideros.

* * *

All of us had quietly sat in the passenger hold without more than a few words spoken among us. I reflected on the tale Kaeneth had finished telling earlier and began to tie my memories together with old questions finally answered. My father died the man I knew him to be. Putting everyone else before himself. He was a strong man in every aspect I could think of. It was beyond admirable, and following his example was no less than a trial of seemingly insurmountable magnitude. I found it hard to believe that at one point in his life, he was scared of battle. When I was a child, I remembered the times he told me about his first assignment. At first, he was so terrified of the reality he was in, he had inadvertently ran away from the firefight. He used to talk to me about how he discovered himself during that mission; as well as meeting my mother no less. And more than that, he often reminisced about a handful of people saving his life.

I could have spent hours reflecting on the overwhelming multitude of thoughts and recollections I had concerning my childhood with and without my father being present, but I couldn't afford to wear my mind out doing so. Deciding to stretch my legs, I entered the armory to see Sideros examine "Grim Omen". I joined him at the workbench and sat down before the various pieces of hardware that were ordinarily his most utilized weapon.

"Atos did not tell you the whole story," the Exo said plainly from his seat without removing his gaze from his dismantled rifle.

"About my father's death?" I asked.

"No. He told you what I allowed him to share in open. But there is a matter I have been meaning to discuss with you. During your father's final stand, we did not combat the enemy to avenge the deaths of a reconnaissance team. We were following a lead brought to our attention from the team's last surviving member before he died. They tailed the Fallen and Cabal to a site that housed an object of mysterious nature. An object that was of some extreme importance to both factions. That is why it was being transported under the guard of a troop five dozen strong."

"What importance does this hold exactly?" I responded, perplexed.

"The object our enemies were moving fifteen years ago was the same object you and your team discovered in the cave on Mars."

"What? Are you sure?" I said with surprise.

He just stared at me, "Katenos, you need to understand the gravity of this item's existence. I do not know what it is, but it is something to take special care with. It is as if we are continuing the battle we waged a decade and a half ago, and it revolves around this artifact."

"Why didn't you say anything before?" I asked.

"I have mentioned that refraining from presenting details in a debrief can more beneficial than revealing them without question. Especially when deceit exists within the City's leadership. We cannot carelessly expose every article of significance from our operations, Katenos. We must not."

I furrowed my eyebrow as I studied Sideros intently and meditated on his claim, "You suspect someone in the Council is being dishonest? Corrupt?"

"I never implicated the Council. I do not know if it is the Council or the FOTC. All I know is someone of high influence is trying to impede Shachal's success in its operations. You must be careful whom you trust."

"I understand..."

"Say nothing of this to the others," Sideros told me firmly. "Chorvo has improved greatly over the past months, but he has difficulty holding his tongue when he gets emotional, and Kaiah is very close to the City's leadership. We do not know what outlets may be used to communicate truths that should remain secret, even if those made tools remain pure in intention."

I gestured in agreement and tried to wrap my mind around all that I had learned over the past day and a half. Too overwhelmed to even begin somewhere, I almost found myself longing for a skirmish just to avoid the flood of thoughts. Sighing, I let out a question I typically wouldn't have asked anyone, "How did my dad do it?"

"Be a leader?"

"Yes," I said, staggered with Sideros predicting where I was going.

"How does a bird know to migrate toward the equator when winter approaches? How does the tide rise and fall? What is and is meant to be does as is mandated by its design. Much like myself. I was created to be a soldier. A defender. I follow what I was programmed to do. Leaders are not taught to be as such, Katenos. They are born with the ability to lead. It only becomes a matter of discovering that ability."

I couldn't help but scoff with what I could only describe as amusement, "I never thought I would have received such an eloquent response from you."

"Make no mistake. These are not my words. They are your father's."

I fell silent and ran my hand over my face, thinking about how foolish it was of me to dismiss the wisdom in Sideros' words. "He didn't fail to share his mind with you either, did he?"

"Not once. At the time, I did not comprehend much of what he said, but even I could not deny the changes I had experienced from his influence. The reason Thumos Katenos was admired was because he had discovered his inherent ability to lead and took the mantle of a guide so many desired to follow. It is one of the skills a leader possesses. He expressed his faith in you, Katenos. Do not disrespect what he saw within you. A leader would know one when he sees one, and I can only assume he saw the potential in you. Learn to fulfill and sustain it, and your doubts will be delivered from your conscience."

"He wasn't afraid of it, was he? Being a leader," I thought out loud, examining my gauntlets on the hard metallic table.

"Afraid? The ability to lead exceeds the bounds of simply experiencing fear or courage. Your father was afraid of many things. He expressed that on occasion, but what I came to learn on my own was that leadership was not reliant on being brave or fearful. Fear begets courage, Katenos. But what a leader depends on is not being brave; it is how to confidently respond to the fears that haunt him. One can succumb to the influence of their doubts, or they can stand against them and react accordingly for the betterment of himself and those who follow."

There was priceless knowledge within Sideros, regardless of whether or not he realized it. Maybe the answer wasn't so difficult to find. Perhaps it was right in front of me. One thing I knew for sure was that I appreciated the discussion I had with the Exo. I smiled at how my father rubbed off on just about everyone he had come across, especially on those people he was close to. I grew acceptant of the fact that a leader wasn't exempt from feeling fear. In fact, maybe they performed best in the face of adversity. It probably varied from person to person. I truly hoped I would come to discover more about myself and my capabilities. As Sideros and I sat in silence, I wondered if I would ever see what my father saw in me come to fruition. My father was gone, but I felt that even now, he spoke to me like he always had when I was a boy, only through those that looked to him as a beacon of trust just like I had.


	26. Chapter 26: Heart

Chapter 26: Heart...

Yet again, Fireteam Shachal and company neared their red destination, with every passing second feeling counted as if hours. Mars had been in sight for some time, but the previous visit still had a profound weight on the hearts of the team. Death's tempted, cold fingers had brushed their faces, and here the planet rested before them like a token of remembrance, never failing to remind the team how close they came to meeting a gruesome demise.

Lukos, with his back on the ice-cold steel of the cockpit's rear wall, stared out into the black of space and reflected on the day his composure wavered openly. Initially, he felt ashamed and pathetic for divulging his past and wearing his emotions on his sleeve, but as he looked further back, he began to remember the way he used to be and how the drastic changes he had gone through since meeting his team impacted him. It had become normal for him to address Shachal as "his team". Would he still have been the same person he was even a few months ago, he would have chastised himself for showing weakness and especially for doing so in hostile territory. But as he idly stood and pondered the relevant effects of recently passed events, he couldn't bring himself to deny the truth: This was where he belonged. No. This is where he longed to be. He found it surprising that at one time, at all costs, he would have remained independent and bitter toward anyone and everyone affiliated with the Last City. Even if it meant roaming the worlds of the system alone until a looming, forlorn death, whether by unlikely natural causes or a promised bullet, came to introduce him to his exposed grave.

With a faint clattering and scraping from within the armory calling into his ear, a curious Lukos turned and left the cockpit to see Kaeneth comfortably sitting on the port side chair of the workbench with this boots propped up on an ammunition crate. With an experienced whetstone in hand, he sharpened one of his throwing knives with patience and care, the other identical weapons already sharpened resting on the table before him.

"What were ya' doing in there, boy?" the Scot asked Lukos without averting his eyes from his task.

"Playing with the flight systems," he said with a sarcastic expression on his face. "What else would I be doing?"

Kaeneth grinned, "Petros would have a fit if ya' ever told him that."

"Good thing he's too occupied with monitoring every cell of the ship's software to notice what's going on right under his nose."

A quiet pause ensued afterward and Kaeneth lifted a low eye to study the unusually unspoken Hunter, "I don't believe I've ever told ya' about ma' last ride ta' Mars as a member o' Shachal, have I?"

Lukos, looking at nothing apparent, shook his head.

"I'd say it was about as peaceful as it is now. Seemed ta' take long as hell ta' get ta' the drop zone. I remember Petros was in the cockpit as usual. I didn't want ta' bother piloting the ship, so the three o' us sat in the back. It was quiet. We knew what kind o' risk we were taking that day. Little discussion was made on it, until Tharsos' father said it would be his last mission before retirement. Least I could say now is I hardly believed it then. Knowing him for so long, I never would have expected him ta' stop being a Guardian."

"This was the same mission he died in?" Lukos asked.

"Aye," Kaeneth replied softly. "He said he didn't want his boys ta' be involved with the war. They were getting ta' that age where their curiosities were blooming, and he didn't want that, so he decided ta' leave it all behind ta' step on a new battlefield and keep them away from the frontlines he feared would tempt them."

Lukos glanced at him, "I'm guessing that was never communicated. Both of them ended up becoming Guardians anyway."

"True. He never had the chance. And at the time, I didn't know what I know now. It's one o' ma' biggest regrets. We both know Kauson wasn't the most emotionally inclined ta' comfort those kids. And because I didn't do what a man's friend should have, it cost Thumos one o' his sons." The younger of the Hunters listened without speaking and Kaeneth proceeded solemnly, "It wasn't until I suffered that loss o' ma' own that I realized ma' mistake in not keeping an eye on Tharsos and Thureos."

It was at this point, Lukos looked up at Kaeneth, who somberly stared through the unmoving knife in his hand, "Ma' boy, Desmos, did what Thumos never wanted his sons ta' do. I wish I had known the fear he felt if his children followed in his footsteps. If I did, ma' son would probably be living comfortably in the City right about now."

"You had a son? Why haven't you ever mentioned him?"

"We all have those memories too hard ta' revisit. Those nightmares that torment us too much ta' talk about openly. I'm sure ya' have your own. One o' the fears a parent dreads most is seeing your child laid ta' rest before ya', and I've long outlived ma' son." The Scot blinked and coughed, forcing the sadness back. "Ma' wife left me. Ma' little Karah was left without a father and a big brother for many years. She probably suffered most, being alone. Her mother was consumed with grief. So much, her health eventually failed and she slowly died. Aneya passed about two years ago. She wouldn't allow me visitation."

"Why not?"

"She hated me. As much as it hurts ta' accept it, she had good reason. I romanticized being a Guardian. Fuelled Desmos' aspirations. He wanted ta' be a soldier just like his old man. He died just short o' one year after becoming one."

Lukos couldn't wholly relate to Kaeneth's loss, but at the very least, understood the pain of losing someone close. Just before he said anything, the thought of him extending any condolences to others was a foreign concept he never anticipated experiencing, "I'm sorry, Kaeneth."

The Scot could only manage a few abrupt nods as he kept his eyes low on his throwing knife, "Ya' remind me o' him. Ma' son. I guess that's why I took a liking ta' ya'. The only thing bigger than his mouth were his balls. He was fearless. Too fearless for his own good. But he was a good man. A better one than his father was." Kaeneth then knocked on the table to get his listener's attention. "Ya're a good man too, Lukos. Ya' might have yet ta' realize it, but one day ya' will understand. We all see it. A man carrying his fair share o' sins would know."

Aside from Tharsos, it had been ages since someone confided such things in Lukos. It felt even longer since someone he could consider a father expressed his confidence in him. Though he didn't share his senior's opinion, the words were no less welcome and cherished. Lukos, unable to find an appropriate response, merely sat in silence with no eye contact made for an extensive amount of time. The overwhelming evidence of influences that had impacted his change of character continued to amass within his mind, and the denial of such things he came to cling to became distant and even unwanted.

"Just promise me ya' will remember this: A soldier is a haven. Always will be. Always must be. And his duty ta' those behind him is ta' leave a legacy o' peace and security. Not an inheritance o' bloodshed."

Although Lukos took his words to heart, still he found no reply. After a short-lived delay, he joined his friend and withdrew one of his karambits, beginning to sharpen it as well with his own tool. No further conversation was exchanged as the two Hunters prepared their blades for the impending dive into the heart of Mars' Buried City.

* * *

_"ETA, five minutes,"_ Petros' voice reverberated throughout the inner hull of the _Volframio _with the utmost clarity imaginable. _"Entering atmosphere in sixty seconds."_

Everyone had already been strapped securely in their seats for the better part of the last half hour. It was then, Lukos and Kaeneth had returned from the armory, fully geared and prepared for drop off. They clutched their sniper rifles at their sides as the vessel fired through the Mars atmosphere, shaking us vehemently. After the turbulence passed, both Shachal and Thuella unshackled and unlocked the restraints, and for those of us who had yet to equip ourselves for the mission, we entered the armory. Thuella, familiar with the ship and almost as if at home, circled around the room's walls and removed their weapons from their mounts. Stopping at my weapon locker, I examined a new box sitting at the base. As I looked down at it, Selana approached me full of hopeful expectations.

"Aren't you going to open it?" she asked, obviously trying to hide her excitement.

"What is it?"

"Well, if you open it, you'll find out," Selana laughed.

I reached down and pulled it out from the lower shelf and set it on the table. Selana was joined by the curious Kion and his brother, Brecho, and watched me remove the secure shell encasing the metallic frame. Upon revealing the contents, I withdrew one of several weighty grenades, bearing elaborate multi-faced edges and a brilliant metallic blue exterior.

Kion gasped at the sight in envy, his eyes gleaming with wonder, and an impressed Brecho whistled, "Osiris Shockwave grenades. Damn fine ordnance you have there."

I faced my company to see Selana awaiting my reaction. After taking another look at the grenade, I tossed it up in the air, gauging the mass and gripping the contoured shell. I studied it with satisfaction before answering Selana, "Thank you. I have no idea what they do, but I like the weight and compact design."

Overjoyed, she smiled, "You're welcome. Use them well. They're yours to use as you see fit." She hurriedly turned to arm herself and Brecho faced me.

"She must like you," he said with a grin. "Those aren't cheap."

"I hope she doesn't make a habit out of it," I replied, keeping the light air alive. "I don't have the finances to repay her with her own gift every time she buys me a set of these."

Selana pivoted on her heel to scold me with a poorly hidden smile beginning to form on her lips, "The designer of those gets to give them as she pleases. Don't you dare think of it as something that has to be repaid. Shame on you for thinking of a present that way."

"You made these?" Kion asked with amazement, picking one of the items up. "Never would have figured that."

I watched her expression brighten even more as she stepped out of the armory with the rest of us. As we approached the rear hatch, I felt the descending _Volframio_ start to level off and decelerate. A series of clacks and switches sounded as our two teams inserted magazines, pulled charging handles, flicked safeties, and primed our weapons for action. With four of Selana's gifted grenades on my belt I awaited howling winds of reddish-orange dust to greet us again with a red sea of rippling sand under our feet.

The Martian sky opened its arms out to us and the soft bed of sediment swayed and parted at our feet colliding with it. The deepest impressions nearly buried Sideros' thick boots as his heavy frame landed on the ground, and generous plumes of sand were carried away into the gusts of wind broken only by our presence.

Sideros stepped forward, glaring into the furthest visible reaches of the Buried City in front of us before speaking into the cry of the gales sweeping through unsheltered grounds, "As before, scan for any powerful energy signatures, Petros."

"_Affirmative, Kauson."_ The _Volframio_ blasted out of the vicinity, becoming an indistinguishable speck in the warm-colored sky above. As the upheaval of dust awoken by the ship's departure slowly diminished like a massive veil in the wind, we set out to plunge into the center of the city, an impregnable site of historical failure and disgrace that hadn't been touched by Guardians since the Battle of the Buried City over fifteen years ago.

* * *

"Sweep the intersection," Sideros ordered as quietly as his stern voice could manage.

We had recycled the same careful drive through the city, every junction cleared one at a time, checking every side street that ran perpendicular to our somewhat directionless approach. Selana and I, again, took the left flank. Brecho and his son, Chalzao, took the right. Cautiously looking around the corners and examining the lonely, windswept roads covered in dunes to our sides, we cleared the pass with an inaudible signal. As we and the right flank guards kept wary guns up and at the ready, the rest of our group quickly passed through the center of the street, heading west, their footfalls muffled and padded by the absorbent coat of sediment.

After reaching the opposite side of the intersection, our point team halted and covered our pass. As soon as we made a silent approach, Sideros signaled us to conceal ourselves in a nearby building. Upon our entrance to an office room with many leveled walls, we received a transmission from Petros.

_"I'm picking up a strong energy signature, Guardians. It appears to be approximately four kilometers northwest of your position, three hundred feet above ground in the central district's northern communications tower. Be advised. Scans suggest there is exceedingly large opposition on the eastern and western borders of the complex's grounds. Approach carefully."_

"Copy that," Sideros responded. "Any mechanical defenses?"

_"If there are, they are insulated by detection-preventative materials."_

"Understood. Keep your distance," Sideros said, closing the comm link and looking at us. "According to his report, our advance would yield higher success if made from the southern edge. We will continue west until we reach a satisfactory path taking us to the border of the central district."

Each of us acknowledged his strategy with affirmative gestures and made our way for the exit. With a much swifter pace, we took our westward leave in unison and without conversation. As I moved with my companions, I thought about the likelihood of discovering the new storage location of the prismatic device we had encountered during our last visit to Mars. Securing it, however, was the questionable matter under scrutiny. In the Cabal's home base, we couldn't accurately say how difficult even getting to the tower would be. Upon our arrival at another intersection, I took a habitual and generous look to the streets in passing. I caught a glimpse of Selana running sluggishly next to me. She seemed fatigued and struggled to keep up with us. As concerned as I was, I had no choice but to save it for later. Her personality hadn't come across any differently, but on a few occasions over the past few days, I could discern she wasn't feeling well. I could only hope it was a minor incidence and would pass soon.

I turned back around and lowered my pace slightly, serving as a mediating presence between Selana and the rest of Shachal and Thuella.

Over the course of the following minutes, I came to appreciate our alacrity. It hadn't taken very long before I was looking down northern, perpendicular roads at the peaks of three towers standing tall above buildings between them and us. After only a few more city blocks put behind us, Sideros hung right and soon, the image of the towers remained within my peripheral. It was at this point all of us slowed to allow prudent awareness during our final approach.

"Stay alert. More than likely, Cabal scouts are posted beyond the perimeter of our objective. They'll be watching," Brecho grunted, observing our surroundings.

"And they'll tell their friends about us before attacking alone," Kaeneth added. "We won't have much time ta' eliminate the compromise."

"Kion, can you manage generating the sensor?" Brecho asked.

"I can manage it anytime, but as usual, if I do, I won't be providing much offense for a while."

"Do it. We have you covered."

While the rest of us ran ahead, Brecho and Kion ceased for a few seconds. I looked over my shoulder to see Kion focus and envelop his body in a faint, glass-like coat of lavender void energy. After solidifying the layer of energy, the brothers sprinted for us and upon their rendezvous, I saw the layers of purple ripple on the surface of his armor. Kion appeared to be in a state of profound concentration as he followed next to us.

"Frequency's been accounted for," Kion murmured. "Keep doing what you're doing, guys. I'll keep you updated."

Entrusting what I gathered as a motion sensing field surrounding him, I withdrew my attention from the unique application of Warlock abilities and kept my own senses open to what capacities they were capable of.

The race was quiet. Alarmingly quiet considering how close we were getting to the edge of the central district's southern commercial quadrant. To me, and surely all of us, it felt like a guarantee there would be some kind of guard on the southern side of the complex. With the eastern and western faces entrenched by most of the Cabal strength, I knew the militaristic brutes wouldn't fail to assign some sort of precautions for the southern arc of their base's perimeter. They had to expect intruders would approach from the thinly guarded sides, and I expected them to know of our intrusion, should their eyes have caught sight of us. But there seemed to be no apparent sign of a scout's reaction or resulting report to the eastern or western forces.

"Sideros," I called through the still air. "This is too easy."

The Exo didn't respond as he glanced at me and subsequently observed the building tops. All of us eventually decelerated to a halt and listened. Brecho turned to Kion with a inquisitive look.

Initially focusing on his surroundings and the change in our motion's frequency, Kion then turned to his brother, "Aside from the wind, nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"This doesn't make sense," Lukos muttered. "There's not a chance they would leave this area completely defenseless."

"What's the range on your sensors?" Selana asked Kion.

He released a quick shrug, "Sixty, seventy foot radius, give or take."

"You think there's a chance we could have slipped the scouts by?" she then questioned to no one in particular.

"Not the Cabal. Not on their own turf," Brecho answered uneasily. "What do you intend to do, Sideros?"

He appeared to debate with himself as we awaited a response while keeping keen eyes on the surrounding weathered architecture. With the equivalent of a disgruntled exhale, Sideros spoke, "We proceed. Should our advance prove too hazardous, we will retreat and extract, but the objective is far too important to neglect again."

As I turned and stepped northbound, a faint rumble shook the sand and settled the red carpet under my feet. I watched the grains of dust shake and roll away from my boots. But the hardly perceived vibrations ceased and an open road yawned before us, the tower housing our objective looming in the distance.

I felt severely uneasy about getting any closer, but part of me agreed with Sideros. We had to take a chance at acquiring this geometric artifact, if at the least to remove it from our enemies' possession.

Within a vigilant quarter of an hour, we stood at what once stood as a fortified security wall that surrounded the complex's inner site.

"Anyone ever been this far in?" Lukos asked Kaeneth.

"No one alive," the Scot whispered. "Silence is key here."

He said it just loud enough so that it was impossible for us to have missed it. Before stepping over the razed brick and concrete piles of debris, I felt self-conscious about my breathing even, knowing the Cabal's sense of hearing was exceptional and deserving of fearful respect.

The northern tower, the communications facility apparently, stood between two somewhat shorter, commercial towers of identical appearance on its sides. A uniform space of around three hundred feet separated the two outer towers from the center one, and should lines have been drawn to each, the three constructs would have formed a broad isosceles triangle, the southern face being the widest side.

"Ready for this?" Lukos asked.

He only received a fleeting glance from me. As Kion expressed his odd enthusiasm and excitement, I felt uncertain about this operation, and the area we had stepped into felt like a harbor of doom and despair. I could only wonder how long it had been since this tarnished home of long extinct excellence was occupied by its creators. As we made our first few strides into the complex's grounds, my discomfort escalated. There was absolutely no sign of any Cabal presence. It became an arduous task putting one heavy and hesitant foot in front of the other, and every fiber of my being screamed for me to stop, and my loyalty to my comrades stifled its call. Until a boom echoed through the wind's phantasmal whispers.

Just a split second after, Kion reeled to his left as the round tore through his shoulder.

"Shit!" he screamed in pain, favoring it with a strong grip. Brecho yanked him down behind a pile of rubble with more concern for his life than his shoulder.

The rest of us dove for cover, and Selana spun around the debris to offer immediate treatment for Kion.

"Lukos! Kaeneth! You got eyes on him?" I yelled over the swift series of hostile sniper fire. My expectations for this mission were presumptuous. I knew that shot well. The Fallen were here too.

"Got him!" Kaeneth replied, snapping over the worn wall and firing a perfectly placed shot into the sniper perched on one of the distant and lower elevated office buildings between the northern and eastern towers. That particular source of gunfire ended, but another began from the northwest. The round cracked the wall near Kaeneth's head and was met with an even faster response from Lukos, who had a low base but quick aim and eliminated the hostile marksman.

A crash sounded in the near vicinity, and as I crept my sharp eyes over my cover, I watched as a familiar Cabal threat charged from a shattered and now crumbling building wall and charged for us like a savage hound, throwing his arms to the sides and sending obstacles flying to his sides with ease.

"Gladiator!" Brecho said with a booming tone. "On your feet!" As the gap between our foe and us dwindled rapidly, we threw ourselves up from the ground and dispersed. Narrowly dodging his hammer-like weapon's downward blow, like the first Gladiator I encountered had, the crazed beast swung upward without delay. Selana, having placed a well-timed foothold on the hammer's head, was launched into the air and fired a singular, but massive Nova Bomb, now more white than amethyst. The resulting crash was drowned out by a furious growl that was followed by a horizontal sweeping pivot emerging from the cloud of residual energy. I dove and tackled Chalzao, the nearest person whom of which would have been struck by the swing.

"Tharsos, with me!" Brecho yelled. I shot up to my feet as the others fired upon the center of the plume, peppering the occupant within. As Brecho and I charged after our foe, his body became visible, and as if knowing what the other was thinking, we sent the titanic Cabal's legs to the ground with our own flurries of Havoc-infused punches. Only having cried out in agony for a moment, the angered behemoth swatted at us with an ironclad gauntlet, which was, in turn, attacked by Sideros' momentous diagonal slash. A stream of blood spurted out from the Gladiator's wound, but it didn't slow his assault in the least. Backpedaling to avoid a series of offensive punches and downward slams, we realized the creature had abandoned his cumbersome weapon in favor of killing us quickly and in brutal fashion.

"We have to finish this!" Selana shouted, leaping down from the nearby building's rooftop, her voice full of anxiety. "Reinforcements are inbound!"

Behind us Titans, Lukos, Kaeneth, and Chalzao fired pinpoint precise rounds into the Gladiator's bulky chest, and although the blood seeped from the bullet holes like trickling fountains, the giant only grunted with dissatisfaction, as if we were an unworthy match and continued to hurl himself after us as he slowly bled out from the many injuries he had sustained.

"Again, Brecho!" He complied without looking at me and we raced after the colossus yet again, Sideros and Selana soared into the air, the Exo fuelling a powerful Nova Bomb and Selana glowing in a brilliant golden light, generating and providing Radiance for Sideros, Brecho, and me. Upon meeting the Gladiator in close quarters combat, Thuella's leader and I fired power punches into the sides of our foe's kneecaps, crushing the joints. With his opening made, Sideros propelled himself from his airborne position, taking hold of the Gladiator's face and dragging it to the ground. Upon contact, the Cabal's gigantic legs recoiled from the force and Sideros stood up from his second recent Gladiator extermination.

After the latest kill, a roar thundered from the east and a similar call answered from the west. It was then, I realized what the tactic was behind the Cabal forming up on the central district's flanks. As I listened to their march shake the earth, I realized a portion of them started to approach from ahead of us, but only after the other halves of either side swept up around behind us to close us in with a double pincer formation. Time was of the essence.

"We have to retreat now!" I demanded, pulling away from the huge corpse lying still before me.

A handful of my companions looked at me with confusion before some of the wiser and more experienced Guardians understood our imminent plight. Frantic and impatient, my comrades picked themselves up as we started to retrace our steps. As we stepped outside of the complex's border, the barks and bellows of Centurions and worse rang forth from the curving streets we put behind us. Sprinting wasn't fast enough. Glancing down once empty roads, I noticed Cabal ranks ran in parallel strings to our sides, a couple of city blocks between each line and our flight path.

"Along the walls!" Brecho said, having noticed the same thing as me. "Stay clear of the middle!" My companions and I reacted immediately and lined up against the western walls of the various buildings. We had only cleared one block when a series of Cabal cannon fire seared toward us in intersecting streams of firepower. Some blasts fell short into the sand-covered roads next to us, violent, isolated bursts resurrecting the dust and shooting it up into the air. Others barreled toward us and collided with the center of our path, the contact resulting in quickly passing waves of radiating heat escaping our backs.

Calls to war echoed throughout ancient halls of metal and stone, and the parallel lines began to march forward as the Cabal pursuing from behind started to fire on us. "Petros, we are under heavy fire and require immediate extraction!" Sideros growled into the comms.

_"En route to your coordinates, Guardians,"_ Petros told us promptly. _"Hold on."_

Just after his reply, three Fallen drop ships appeared from overhead and flew ahead to intercept us. Without descending to the ground, over a dozen Vandals and Raiders leapt from their vessels. As they started to jump from rooftop to rooftop with vicious intentions, Sideros led our Warlocks and Hunters to them, each with their own gliding bounds and athletic vaults to silence the forward opposition. The rest of us kept pace on the ground. Sideros, the most aggressive, sprinted off of a rooftop, firing a Nova Bomb into the center mass of an airborne Vandal coming directly toward him, sending his lifeless body into the wall below. Midflight, he tackled the accompanying Raiders and crushed their necks with a terrifyingly powerful mechanical grip. Selana, evasive and swift, eluded a pair of Vandals and sent a linear string of small Nova Bombs into their backs, landing on the Martian dunes and rejoining those of us below. As Lukos and Chalzao finished their kills with gruesome slashing and clubbing, they also leapt from the rooftops to rejoin us.

On the ground, approximately half of the deployed troops being Raiders, sprinted for us with a vigorous collision only seconds away from slowing our escape. I pulled one of the "Shockwave" grenades Selana gave me, primed the charge, and threw it just ahead of the blockade ahead. Only a second after contact, a radial pulse discharged from the shell, propelling the attackers backward with tremendous force. Simultaneously with the blast, a blue lightning burst emanated from the origin and sparked from one enemy to the next, rendering their bodies to mangled piles of electrically charred flesh and bone. Impressed with the performance in dire circumstances, I withdrew another and blindly threw it over my shoulder in hopes of it slowing our pursuers. With the blast, I heard a series of agonized cries and loud thuds on old concrete walls grow quieter as we sprinted away.

Fortunately for us, the Fallen ceased to provide any further resistance ahead of us, and managing to outrun the Cabal pursuit, I began to feel like our escape was succeeding, and when the _Volframio_ soared down from the sky and hovered over a building, we raced up the massive rubble-formed stairway that was once its roof and outer walls. Not one of us failed to dive into the secure hold of the ship and pivot at the opening to fire upon our nearest assailants as Petros cleared us from their weapons' effective ranges.

Within the safety of the vessel, we collected ourselves and took in our fill of deep breaths. As I braced myself near the edge of the hatch and observed the distancing force below, I grasped the scope of their strength. I hadn't seen an army so equipped or massive. I sighed, mostly out of relief rather than exhaustion, thinking about how taking this operation with our current strength was foolish. Recalling the stories of the Battle of the Buried City, it would require an army of Guardians to have a chance at reaching the center of it.

"Wait, wait!" Lukos exclaimed in desperation from behind me. "Go back, Petros!"

Bewildered, I analyzed the Hunter's actions, until I took a good look at the occupants of the passenger hold. We were missing a Guardian. My heart rate shot up, and my blood pulsed as I shuddered, scanning the hold, hoping the missing person would be revealed. But as Lukos' pleas continued, I felt my hopes die in a reality I couldn't bring myself to willingly accept.

Petros spun the _Volframio_ around and scoured the maze of ancient, identical roads, searching for the missing Guardian. The armies of Cabal and Fallen dispersed and in a matter of a few minutes of failed searching and transmitting, a siren blared loudly from the communications tower we had abandoned. Our Ghost turned the ship around and aimed for a somewhat taller building standing out and away from the central district's further towers. As he leveled the vessel off above the flat surface of the roof, we all jumped off of the hatch and raced for its edge to study the clearing that occupied the centermost region of the ruined central district. For those of us without scoped rifles, we observed with our visors' maximum magnification. There, an array of Cabal and Fallen soldiers stood awaiting a word. In a semicircle, some Gladiators, four Praetorians, and what appeared to be a handful of the Cabal's leadership, being the Legate and the Imperator, stood surrounded by Legionnaires and a handful of Centurions glaring at our comrade like mad beasts, itching impatiently to deal death.

Lukos crouched against the meager wall that separated us from the edge of the building's vertical and peered at the sight through his sniper rifle's scope.

Before an army of raging behemoths, Kaeneth sat motionless on his knees, his face bloody, battered, and broken facing our direction. He trembled as he tried to use his weakened abdomen to keep his body off of the ground. Near him, the Legate took his loaner sniper rifle from a Centurion and destroyed it with ease, tossing the useless weapon to the ground. There also lied his dual pistols, smashed and in shambles.

From what was initially discernible, the Legate started to bark and boast with prideful gestures, circling the Hunter and looking down at him with contempt.

"Kaeneth!" Lukos shouted into the comm channel. "We're coming to get you!"

I glanced over at the still Sideros who was silently watching the bleak spectacle.

A weak voice broke through our helmets' speakers, _"No. All o' ya'... are going home."_

Standing just behind Lukos, I heard his voice quake and quiver as a Cabal soldier kicked Kaeneth in the side for speaking. We listened to him cough, the sound of blood spattering on his microphone. From behind broken ribs, we heard every one of his struggling gasps for air. Through his laborious wheezing he made his farewell, _"I'm proud o' every one o' ya'. It was an honor... ta' have served with soldiers like yourselves. Lukos... I'm sorry, son."_ Without being noticed by his captors, we witnessed him inconspicuously withdraw one of his concealed throwing knives and place it between his forearm and thigh. _"Fuck all o' ya' ugly sons o' bitches!"_ he shouted to the Cabal and Fallen with his head held high. Infuriated, the Legate marched toward him with a vengeance and picked the Hunter up from the ground, his limp legs dangling in midair.

_"This... is how I want ta' go. Kauson, old friend... ya' take care o' them."_

And with a lightning quick thrust, Kaeneth shoved his knife into the Legate's eye and slammed his palm into the pommel, driving the blade into the gargantuan Cabal's brain. They both fell at the same time. Both just as heavy, only Kaeneth sluggishly picked himself from the ground to meet a charging group of Legionnaires. We could do nothing but continue to watch our friend's final stand. Selana whimpered and turned her eyes away from the display of despair and buried her face into my shoulder. Sideros' gaze was unwavering, but as silent as ever. Lukos screamed into the comm as Kaeneth pulled the lodged knife from the Legate's eye and fought the surrounding Legionnaires ferociously, every sound still coming through the open channel he failed to close. He wounded three Cabal and felled another two before an unexpected figure emerged from the chaos. With a stealthy approach, our ears and hearts were pierced with both sorrow and rage as two glowing blades plunged through Kaeneth's torso. His pained groans and gasps for air killed every failing measure of composure we had, and tears birthed from the sight of the Admiral holding Kaeneth's dying body up in the air broke free, streaming down our faces as swiftly as his defiant stand had ended.

Through his comm link, we listened to the Fallen giant send us a foreboding message in his own dialect with a spiteful snarl, his words broken up by the final breaths of our teammate. After the Admiral found himself content, he kicked Kaeneth in the back, sending his motionless body to the ground, and turned away from the site of his latest kill, disappearing into the crowd of Cabal and Fallen soldiers cheering with malice and triumph.

As Shachal and Thuella stood staring in disbelief, Lukos roared, his voice cracking from cries of sadness, and began firing into the howling crowd. Fearing our position would be revealed, I started to stop Lukos, but before I could, a firm hand fell on my open shoulder.

Sideros looked at me quietly, the flames that were his eyes now like dying embers in the dark. I understood his implication, and waited as Lukos fired aimless shots into our enemies, in tears as he did so. Through the small pauses between his trigger pulls, I listened to Kaeneth's fading breaths through the communications channel. Only seconds after Lukos loosed his fury upon the aliens in the distance, they determined the source and charged for our position with haunting war cries of bloodlust filling every one of our ears. Under their stampede, Kaeneth breathed his last as scores of Rhinos and Fallen trampled over his body. Aside from Lukos, Sideros, and myself, none of those present could keep their eyes on the unceremonious and tragic end of our friend, Kaeneth Atos.

My gaze was lost within the swarm of our enemies when Sideros' heavy hand slid off of my shoulder, signifying it was time for us to leave. I hesitated and stared down at the desperate Hunter who was pulling the trigger endlessly on an empty magazine. It pained me to pull my grief-stricken teammate away from the edge of his vengeful perch. I clenched tightly and dragged him away as he struggled against our leave, yelling indistinctly into the lonely, low howls of the Martian sky. Mourning every step we took away from our fallen comrade, all of us stepped into the empty _Volframio_ that departed from Mars as if saddened as well.

None of us succeeded in holding our grief at bay, and during our return we replayed the memory that had been imbedded into our minds, every witnessed sight and sound as clear as they were when it happened. Lukos lied against the rearmost starboard chair, speaking with him an impossibility. But none of us could muster a single spoken thought through the somber droning hymn of the _Volframio's _thrusters. Accepting the fact that Kaeneth was gone proved far too difficult for us as we stared into spaces, wishing he was there. The aching wounds within all of us ran deeper and deeper as we returned home, heartbroken and wandering in thought. To a beloved friend's grave without his body to lay to rest.

_Author's Note: I'm sorry, guys. I didn't like it either. But the story must be told._


	27. Chapter 27: Break

Chapter 27: ...Break

If it weren't for the trying circumstances that had left him grieving for the last day and a half, Lukos would have felt ashamed for having had such difficulty discovering the modest home's doorstep he stood frozen before. Admittedly, there were very few resources at his disposal, especially with the passing of Kaeneth, so finding a simple address took a painstakingly longer time than Lukos desired to spend, but with his friend's funeral nearing, he had to gather what diminishing patience he had left to take care of what optional arrangements the FOTC wasn't preparing.

Lukos stared at the traditional, stained oak door with indecision. He wondered if coming here was worth the effort, and having analyzed that countless times since coming to this uncertain thought, he couldn't bring himself to make his presence known to the resident. He couldn't account for his actions or reactions when the door opened, and frankly it seized him in unfamiliar ways he was most uncomfortable with. Although he couldn't recall how long he stood staring blankly at his reflection in the small glass pane at the top of it, he knew it had to have been excessive. He could sense many gazes fixated on his back, bringing him to force his closed hand to the smooth surface and knock three times.

He tried to collect himself as he awaited. Unprepared, of course, a relatively prompt response followed, and without a sound more than the latch turning, the broad door opened up to him with a young woman, around his age, standing in its place. Though garbed finely, she was dressed for comfort and her colorful eyes pierced him in a way he hadn't experienced since he was a child.

"Hello. Can I help you?" she asked with concern, studying his uniform with an inferring look.

Lukos stammered and choked on subtle, though mute words as the woman waited. With a pause, he managed to keep her attention with an abrupt, but apologetic nod. She appeared to be understanding and remained patient with her visitor.

"Karah? Karah Atos?"

"Yes. What brings a Guardian here, if I might ask?" she asked him, brushing a lock of her scarlet hair behind her ear.

"My name is Lukos," he said informally. "I, uh... I have something to tell you. About your father."

Karah squinted at him, "My father? I haven't spoken with him in a while. What's going on?"

"Yesterday morning, on Mars, Kaeneth died in the line of duty."

She blinked and then proceeded to stare at Lukos in disbelief. To his surprise, her hazel eyes glistened and a lone tear streamed down her pale cheek, falling short at the corner of her full lips, "Daddy..."

Lukos stiffened, his eyes darting back and forth between her faltering gaze, "I'm sorry."

With a faint cry breaking through her crumbling poise, Karah's sorrow brought her back to the wall behind her, and she shuffled down to the floor weeping. Initially unsure as to what to do, Lukos shifted with hesitation before ultimately forcing himself to step into her home and kneel next to her quivering frame. With a quick glance, Lukos judged it best to keep curious eyes outside from seeing her, and tenderly closed her home's door. It was then he found himself in strange territory, and desperately searched Karah's generously furnished home for a place to set her down. Leaning back and catching a glimpse of the living quarters, he returned and urged her to stand with supportive hands. After a second of persuasion, she removed her slender arms from around her legs and leaned on his geared forearms. With an open hand on her back, Lukos guided her to the nearest comfortable furniture he could find and had her relax.

Hugging her arms, her cries lulled and she looked up at him with glazed eyes, "What happened to him? What happened to my dad?"

Lukos gulped and shook his head, "I'm still trying to figure that out."

"I just don't understand how this could have happened. I thought he was going to be finished with his service."

Knowing Kaeneth so well, it didn't take Lukos long to understand why she would have believed such a thing. In fact, Kaeneth probably did give her assurances, but they were false comforts to keep her from worrying. Lukos knew that Kaeneth never had any intention of leaving the battlefield, for better or worse, and no matter the toll it took on him or those close to him. It was who he was, and Lukos wondered if it was for the best that Karah didn't know that about her father. Grasping for a suitable reply, the Hunter decided to keep both the horrific and heart-shattering details of his friend's death to himself and offered her the words she needed to hear, "I remember him often talking about you."

Her weeps subsided as she stared at Lukos and let out a dubious laugh, "I find that hard to believe. He was always very reserved about our family."

"Even with family?" Lukos asked her. "Kaeneth was the closest thing to a father I've had in years. He confided more in me than I deserved to know." Karah grew silent and alert to his words, and an uncontrollable smile of happiness appeared on her tear-soaked lips and shimmering cheeks. "He told me about how beautiful, smart, and gracious you were. He was proud of you in every way imaginable, and he missed you every minute you were away from him. I can't remember the last time I've heard a parent express so much pride and satisfaction in his child the way he did."

Both crying and smiling, Kaeneth's dear daughter listened. Her shuddering ceased and as he spoke the partially created truth to her, she seemed to grow comforted, as if her own father was speaking directly to her.

Lukos continued, but with words that crept up on him, "Your dad loved you very much. If anything, that's the least he would want you to know." To him it felt as if he stood outside of himself and helplessly observed as words that were beyond his capacity spilled out of his mouth like an untamed river flowing freely over steep falls. Before he could react, Karah stood and wrapped her slight arms around him.

"Thank you," she told him with a relieved sigh. "Thank you very much, Lukos. I'm glad my dad had a friend in you. It comforts me to know he didn't die alone like he feared he would."

His frozen posture eased as he slowly calmed his shaking hands and closed his end of the embrace, an interaction he had nearly forgotten to dark and desolate days past. She peeled her soft hands from him and held his wrists at arm's length, only to have them stripped from her hold in a careful, but desperate separation made by her guest.

"The service is tomorrow morning at Council Hall," Lukos said, solidifying his tone's resoluteness. Karah confirmed his notice with a gentle visage, to which, he immediately left for the exit without indication. Remaining steadfast was proving too difficult, and he departed in hope of keeping his emotions buried, or at the very least, an unknown to anyone he knew or happened upon. With a crisp thud, Karah's door closed behind her visitor and he disappeared for the rest of the evening, his whereabouts unknown to his hostess and his teammates.

* * *

Commencing in the open auditorium of the grand Council Hall, Kaeneth's service appeared as everything it should have been for a man who shouldn't have died. As his designated unit and closest friends, Fireteam Shachal stood with me at attention atop the stand in respect of our fallen comrade; save the absent Lukos, whose whereabouts remained a mystery. As the stillest breaths within the amphitheater, our forward and fixated gazes could still witness the unmoved reactions of attendants who had only known the man by reputation. Most of those in attendance were Council members and FOTC officers and regulars. Few of the soldiers present had ever met the man, let alone heard of him. It was then, the loss of more than our friend weighed on me; his memory and near lifelong contributions had been forgotten by many, if not most, and it broke my heart to wonder if his death was vain. I pondered the true worth of my father's sacrifice as well, and for all of those Guardians who had accepted the cold embrace of death for people such as these. Out of admiration for the heroes that had perished, I set aside the spark of anger, and along with those very few whom had served closely with Kaeneth, held my head high and shoulders back in his honor, a legend among legends.

I barely recognized the elderly Meizon Meros when he hobbled up to the fore of the stand and spoke on behalf of soldiers like ourselves that couldn't piece together words just enough for Kaeneth's commemoration. It was his eyes though, that hadn't lost their depth and compassion in all of the years since his retirement. And his voice, although having grown noticeably feebler since my father's memorial, seized power and demanded attention when he took hold of his post as a speaker of respect and remembrance. It shook hearts and tested soldiers' composures in a manner few were capable of wielding, let alone possessing, and while a force beyond many rang through the hushed hall filled with watchful eyes and sharp ears, I felt as if my fears concerning the current generation of our people were finding their validation in the apathetic expressions of hundreds serving as a surrogate attitude for the masses. Age-old thoughts resurfaced and swelled up within me. We were losing this war, and the front falling fastest was faith in winning it.

"War isn't without its costs. Centuries of it has taken its overwhelming tolls on all of us. Today, each of us, present and absent, Guardian and guarded, stand broken in more aspects than a few. But do we not stand? Here, today? For what purpose, I ask you? From the onset of this bitter struggle, we have succeeded in the example of those who've fallen before us. Long before this generation breathed, our ancestors stood between it and harrowing doom as unmoving strongholds of bravery. Do you know why they did it? What cause drove them so...? Hope, my dear City. Be it small or fleeting, our heroes whose names remain forever etched in our joy-ridden history died, believing that even the slightest chance at finding peace for us was worth fighting to that end for. In esteem of those men and women, even the nameless soldiers, we have communed today to honor the ultimate sacrifice of our son, Kaeneth Atos. A man who succeeded the belief of our predecessors. A hero who perished for the expectation of peace's sake. A legend who died with our lives in mind to his very end. It is a fragile thing; hope. Few are capable of dispensing it, and we have longed to savor its taste in this endless drought. But I assure you, this man was one such supplier, whether appreciated or unbeknownst to you, and the least we can do in his memory is respect him in death as was deserving in life. Although this is the least deserved thing, I implore you to take more from this Guardian. The burden of a soldier is one brim-filled with hardship and dark days, but one such as Kaeneth Atos bore it gladly in respect of those who fell before him. Would you, my friends, take it upon yourselves to carry this torch? For a tomorrow that should not be fought for in vain, I plead of you, to remember what has given us the strength to remain and endure. To stand. I only ask of you, stand for the purpose of achieving what we as a people deserve. Peace will not come without its taxing dues, but surrender will surely bring about the end of our tribulation etched with the names of heroes worthy of remembrance, and the fall of our very existence itself. Take from this what you will, but we are in need of a miracle, my brothers and sisters. I can only place what hope I possess in the desire to see you serve as outlets for that necessity to grace our grief-stricken lives. May our Guardians rest in peace, and may we find it ourselves in tribute to their courage."

Selana and I, close to each other and at the former Chief Councilman's side, found ourselves enraptured with his speech, and despite the agonizing sight before us, I couldn't have asked for a eulogy better than one Meizon Meros could offer. Though his weathered appearance distanced from the podium, his inspiring presence never flickered even when he returned to his seat, and shortly after, the service mobilized to conclude before high noon.

The service wasn't without its few blessings, but it was painful to experience, both in light of our loss and in consideration of how far humanity had fallen as well, and as the march through the City took us to the site of his monument's rest, I heard the sound of following footsteps vanish from existence. By the time we arrived to place Kaeneth's tombstone in its distant setting, only a couple dozen attendants remained, including the personnel commissioned to set the stone and fire the volleys in his honor. As I shifted my eye across those few who had accompanied us, I saw but one civilian. A woman dressed in black shed silent tears as we watched the memorial carefully placed into its setting. After being secured, some of the accompanying Guardians lined up on the western face of the slab and fired three times into the sky before departing. Besides us, the last group to leave was Fireteam Thuella, whom expressed their condolences to us and the young woman in attendance.

Urged to share discourse with her, I walked toward the civilian and stood next to her, both of us staring at the words displayed on the slab of granite gracing the fore of Kaeneth's cenotaph: "In memory of Kaeneth Atos. Recognized Guardian. Honored Vanguard. Revered friend. Be at peace, brother of heroes, son of the Last City." I felt a cold shiver run up my spine as I read it, but glancing at the unspoken woman next to me, all I could see were wells of sorrow reading the message.

"If I may ask, who was Kaeneth to you, ma'am?"

Following tears pushed away from shut eyelids lingering, she opened her drawn eyes to the image commemorated to Kaeneth, "I'm alone now."

Although my question wasn't answered directly, I related well enough to know she was especially close with him. Likely his daughter, or a girl considered as such. It felt almost as if I was looking into a mirror when I studied her sunken gaze. All too familiar with that pain, I found myself determined not to leave until some comfort could be brought to the woman.

Turning my eyes to Selana and Sideros, and speaking on behalf of my team, I turned to face her squarely, "As his friends, I wouldn't see someone Kaeneth loved be alone in his absence. Rest knowing he didn't take everything to his grave, ma'am. His spirit was entrusted to all of those he held in high regard. Including you. Whether seen or not, it's there, and all we can do now is cling to what we have. And for some of us, that is each other."

Kaeneth's daughter returned the look with an appreciative expression, "I'm beginning to understand why your team meant so much to him. With Lukos' visit and your sympathies, I've come to know you were more of a family to him rather than a team. For everything you've given him and me, I thank you greatly."

In acceptance of her reciprocation, I shook her hand gently and turned to rejoin my comrades. Upon my return, Sideros left without speaking a word to Selana or me. Before leaving ourselves, I took a final glance at the woman stand alone before Kaeneth's memorial and winced as I turned away from the sight, wondering where Lukos was and how he failed to arrive to Kaeneth's funeral.

The return to accommodations more private was an especially quiet one. Even upon opening the door to my quarters, Selana and I hadn't exchanged a thought. As she eased her weary body down to the couch, I remained on my feet and stood before her in the middle of the room, reflecting on the day's most prominent event.

"I still can't believe it," she sighed, covering her face in her hands and rubbing her reddened eyes.

"Accepting the loss of one such as Kaeneth is hardly ever believable, let alone wanted," I said, taking notice of a memorandum left for me on my home's message terminal.

"Do you ever wonder what it's like? Knowing your death is just moments away and there's nothing you can do about it."

I had been staring at her long before she met my gaze, "Don't tempt those thoughts, Selana."

She nodded her head before settling back into the comfort of the furniture's restful embrace, "I don't know how Kaeneth did it."

"He was a strong man. Probably stronger than all of us."

Deciding to relent in reading the note on the display, a brief pause followed and I watched as Selana stared up at the ceiling before coming to realize I was looking at her intently. "What is it?"

"A message from Sideros. He wants us to meet him tomorrow morning in the hangar."

"This soon? What does his meeting concern?" she asked.

"Didn't say, but we should go anyway. Remaining informed should be a priority right now..."

"Agreed," my company replied in calm manner.

Preparing myself for presenting the concerns that had occupied my mind for the better part of the last several days, I faced her, "Why do you lie to me?"

"What are you talking about, Tharsos?"

I proceeded to reposition a chair in front of her and sat down, "Ever since returning from our first tour to Mars, you haven't been yourself. You're always exhausted. Sick. Even quieter and distant. I've been witness to it more times than I wanted to be. Even on our latest operation. I know something's going on with you, and you're going to tell me what it is."

The Awoken woman's gaze faltered and wandered, her demeanor reflecting failed wishes that this conversation never would have happened. But I could tell she understood my tone's urgent demand and answered, complemented with a defeat that seemed to have overtaken her long before my prying, "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

* * *

The sun was beginning to set, and a cool twilight's breath danced around Lukos like curious specters in passing, whom sat atop the cold and barren rooftop of an abandoned building in the City's depraved slums. Ever since parting from his distant and dismal watch over Kaeneth's service earlier, Lukos loitered and pondered his experiences, peering beyond the reaches of the City's Wall and into the Wilderness that he used to know as home. He never would have thought that he would have felt so vulnerable behind the protection of a massive wall encircling a city and under the shelter of a dormant, but protective construct. Maybe it was safer outside, beyond the reaches of the City. Lukos yearned to satisfy his urge to vanish into the deadly frontier that most of Earth's lands had become. But something kept him from pursuing the claws of the Wilderness' grasp. Conflicted since arriving upon this site of desolation, the Hunter lingered without conviction.

"What is stopping you?"

Lukos found himself startled at the unexpected voice but faced the speaker behind him leisurely. Sideros stood like an unmovable mountain of determination, awaiting his answer with two smoldering eyes trained on him.

"What's stopping me from what?" he asked the Exo, turning back around to watch the descending star.

"Fleeing."

Lukos' jaw clenched, a burst of irritation pulsing through his body, "I don't run away."

"No? Why, then, did you avoid Atos' service?" Sideros challenged.

"I was there."

Sideros approached and stood before him, his pose full of objection, "Present as a coward, yes. But absent as a warrior."

Lukos glared at the Exo whose unwavering attention hadn't been removed from him, but he agreed entirely. His eyes returned to the dwindling light on the horizon, "What should I do? Should I leave? Set all of this behind me?"

"If you are a coward, do what one does best," Sideros said bluntly. "Are you a coward, Chorvo?"

While a corner of his broken and defeated mind tried to escape with the spoken affirmation of his question, Lukos refused to utter those words.

"I see the defiance within you is not yet dead," the Exo stated. "If you have the strength of resolve left within you, rendezvous with me at the _Volframio_ tomorrow morning at dawn. If you do not, I will know well that your tenacity was only worth the means to flee." Without waiting for a reply and only requiring the need for his terms' reception, Sideros turned away from Lukos and disappeared into the darkness of falling shadows.

"Why? What are you going to do?" Lukos asked, wondering if the Warlock would answer. As the wait endured, he began to conclude the Exo's reply would elude him, but his doubts were interrupted when Sideros responded from the edge of orange clouds choking under the grip of blackened shade.

"I take leave to avenge my fallen brother. I came to determine if the savage he and I once saw within you still lives. Now I question if it will ever awaken from its slumber again. Or if it ever truly existed in the first place."

As the light of day fell pressed under the weight of night, Lukos remained and replayed Sideros' departing words to himself. Under the sinister watch of encroaching clouds veiling the silent signals of stars overhead, his decision had been made, and without disturbing the darkness shrouding his dimly-clad figure, the Hunter stepped into the outstretched arms of shadow and revisited age-old remembrances, long repressed and aching to resurface in nostalgic form. The wolf had at last found his hunt worth pursuit.


	28. Chapter 28: Vengeance

_Author's Note: As far as my readers go, this chapter has come far too late, and I want to apologize for the especially extensive postponement, but at last, the anticipated Chapter 28 is here. I hope you enjoy the read. I see the Destiny section has acquired quite a multitude of additional stories, and for those of you who have been following it, I'm sorry Shachal became a questionable return, but I intend to continue entertaining you for some time yet._

Chapter 28: Vengeance

A calm precipice just before the clash of a wrathful storm; a lull, allegiant to malice. Our hatred. This was how I presently viewed our hangar. The ambience was eerie, almost horrifyingly honest, and even sent chills down my spine, but I couldn't tell if it was out of apprehension or excitement. I couldn't bring myself to dwell on the true nature of it for long, in part to the disturbing flashes it gave me. With my mind wracked with more than this singular matter, I mulled over a raging deluge of experiences and questions. Not just recent ones, but those I had contemplated ever since being pulled from the Wall's guard. Saying the passing of events since was drastic was no doubt an understatement, but more astonishingly my peers in Shachal and I had grown all too accustomed with the chaos that we had been thrown into. I could only wonder, was it all making us stronger or were we truly coming apart at the seams?

This was the only question exclusive from the information revealed to me by Selana's late experiences that still stirred within me. Especially since my team was on the verge of diving into a guaranteed hellish encounter with our enemies. Kaeneth's death was still fresh in our minds, and the only thing fresher was the breath his killers drew every passing second. Something I knew all of us were craving to torturously deprive them of.

Gazing out into the cool-colored night and waiting for the sky to grow warm with the nearing dawn's flow over the land's crest, I pondered about that desire. Was it right for me to feel that way? Would blindly embracing this impending tempest provide any of us any benefit other than slaughtering Kaeneth's murderers? Part of me knew welcoming the madness wasn't the best way to honor his memory, but I couldn't deny that the other part of me dreadfully yearned for their suffering and despair.

As I leaned against the slumbering hide of the cold _Volframio _the approaching strides of Selana were subconsciously drowned out from my awareness and the only thing that helped me identify her presence was her light grasp's touch slide over my pauldron.

"What are you thinking about?"

Reeling my unguarded eyes from hers, I looked back into the indistinct features of the horizon and took in a deep draft and with its release, felt my shoulders fall as if freeing myself from the weight of these cumbersome thoughts. "Everything, but nothing in particular."

A chill coursed about my skin like the onset of gooseflesh when Selana rested her head on my arm and laced her fingers with mine. Sensing her hand's frightened grip, I returned a careful, but firm squeeze to calm her nerves.

"Are we out of our minds doing this?" she asked in a troubled, yet resigned tone, staring at the same scene that possessed my eyes, but she didn't receive a reply. I didn't know how to answer. I didn't know the answer. "Is Sideros inside?"

"No," Petros' whirring voice answered from behind. "He's currently making preparations for our departure."

Removing my fleeting eye from the Ghost, I looked upon Selana's concerned visage briefly before being interrupted by the hangar's entrance being disturbed with the arrival of Sideros and all of his iconic poise, harboring tension and preserved, unadulterated fury, only discerned through his smoldering glare. Without a word, he disappeared into the _Volframio_, which caused Petros' encased light to darken with worry.

"Has he ever become self-destructive?" I asked the Ghost, taking notice with the ever-consistent shift in his chromatic body language.

"Exo do not become self-destructive, Guardian Katenos. In rare cases they go rampant, and when they do, the only perspective they adopt is one of destroying absolutely everything other than themselves, sometimes to the point of their imminent destruction, whether it be by battle or dismantling. But hold no doubt. They do not lose their precise self-preservation. Though they may not live by it, Exo always strive to exist as the ideal war machine. Loss of control is unacceptable."

"So do you believe he's borderline rampant?"

A brief delay followed before the Ghost spun to face me, "I do not know. Despite his faults, Sideros is an admirable Exo. One of the best. He has always been a strong individual, but now he's the only remaining member of the founding Fireteam Shachal. His two most trusted allies have fallen, when in a preferred world, he would have been the first to welcome death."

"He's grieving," a sympathetic Selana said, staring at the tail end of the ship, her expression gleaming with compassion.

"Many people fail to realize that Exo do mourn. They don't understand how they do it even more so." Petros took quick notice of my inquisitive gaze and elaborated, "Through combat. Inspired, modeled, and designed after the nature of humanity, Exo are a mock replica, but their primary purpose was and is to serve as protectors. Their most base natures are those of war. They cannot escape it, and no matter how 'human' they may be able to mirror themselves, they will always prioritize that program when their ward is threatened."

"And how does a Ghost compare to an Exo?"

He hesitated, or perhaps he was hoping my requisition for his side of Kaeneth's loss to somehow abate in the passing seconds, "We Ghosts aren't as different from them as many organic sentients would believe. But we are not fighters. We cannot avenge our allies in the usual manner, nor can we grieve. The purposes of which, I cannot share. Mind you, that isn't a formal denial, but merely yet another fragment of our program. To answer your question as well as I am allowed, I too felt an oddity overcome my being when Kaeneth and Thumos fell in battle; a sensation I cannot wholly comprehend or explain. Perhaps you would understand it better. After all, we are simply failed replications of your human consciences."

Taking full measure of the weight of that explanation, its approval was made without response, but for a moment, the curious information presented had actually drawn me from the weight of my late meditations. Little time was allowed to reflect when Sideros emerged from the corner of the rear of our vessel and in crisp motion, turned toward us.

"Are all of our transportation preparations concluded?" Petros asked him as he approached, his footsteps clacking heavily as if speaking with the bursting clarity of war cries echoing on a dead cold battleground.

"Yes, only one matter remains."

"Lukos," I thought out loud.

"There is darkness left. He still has time," Selana said in his defense.

I glanced at her, my expression supporting neither doubt nor certainty. Sideros, regardless of his lacking ability to make facial expressions, shared the questionable position with his eyes speaking volumes.

Turning to the natural display of time, the sun wasn't visible, but the horizon was beginning to show itself, and the doubt grew, becoming a shadow in my mind, and with it, the prediction of doom took root therein, digging deeper than I would have ever anticipated. I didn't want to accept it. Facing my team again, placing the cityscape behind me, I watched the floor in silence, waiting for my shadow to appear upon it, framed in a golden brilliance I could only look upon as devoid of light. Empty of hope.

"Equip yourselves," Sideros boomed, shattering the quiet air and grains of time hanging in the balance, awakening us to an unwelcome and unbelievable reality. As Selana and I carried heavy and sluggish footsteps to the _Volframio's_ hatch, our doubt shriveled into nothingness when the hangar's door was again disturbed with the arrival of a presence that renewed pride and trust.

Lukos' eyes were still thickly soaked in sorrow, but I felt confident in the man when I could see they were no longer home to self-doubt or hopelessness. Our course shifted, and we met him halfway. Stopping mere feet from each other, he looked all of us over.

"You're late," I told him coarsely.

A blank expression was held as he stared at me, but to my surprise, he grinned, "Looks like I'm just in time."

Following that, he outstretched his hand, and I clasped his forearm and gripped it firmly, "Good to have you back."

Lukos nodded for a moment and reciprocated with an unexpected reply, "Never left." He cleared his throat as we observed him, appreciative of expectations fulfilled, "So... are we ready to kick some ass?"

"Arm up," I told him. "We have a schedule to keep."

As Lukos followed Sideros with a favorable smirk, I watched as Selana smiled herself with uncertainties put to rest. I guided her to the ship and upon meeting up with Sideros and a halted Lukos, I knew a discussion was bound to commence.

"Now that all are present, the gravity of this operation is in need of clarification. Fireteam Shachal is alone in this task. We will receive no support. When we depart, know that you are disobeying orders. Neither the Council nor the FOTC have approved of this mission. The ramifications may be substantial, regardless of success, failure, or return. If you do not want to be involved, now is the time to abort." None of us objected, and Sideros waited for several seconds after his disclosure, offering us a generous chance to decide, but we stood resolute. "The objective is simple: Kill as many Fallen and Cabal forces as possible. Proceed to equip yourselves. We leave immediately after preparations are complete."

"Note, Guardians, that during this operation, we will not be traveling in the _Volframio. _There is a Falcon, equipped for extreme battle conditions, in the adjacent hangar. Take what you need from the _Volframio_ and take it there," Petros added in a matter-of-fact tone.

Just as my comrades began to disperse, I stopped them, "I have another notification for the team." Turning toward Selana, I explained while staring at her, "She won't be coming."

"What?" she exclaimed with bewilderment. "Tharsos-"

"I'm not making a suggestion, Selana. This is an order and you'll follow it." Facing my other teammates, I clarified, "She's in poor condition to participate in this operation. Currently, she would be a risk to herself and the team. It's better if she stays here."

I peeled my attention from Sideros' and Lukos' studious expressions, and looked upon Selana's confused and betrayed countenance. She was speechless, but I watched with difficulty as she held her tongue and then hardened herself, "Yes, sir."

With those words, I felt my heart grow heavy in my chest, but I couldn't risk her safety, even if it cost me any kind of relationship with her. Even if it meant she would hate me. My locked gaze never left hers even when I put my helmet on to better hide the effects of my decision, and she stood motionless as I joined Sideros and Lukos in the armory. Upon our exit and leave of the ship, Selana slipped her arm through mine and stopped me in the passenger hold while my companions continued on.

"Why are you doing this?" she inquired out of desperation.

Sighing before answering, I lifted my head and faced her squarely, "Because I have to. I won't risk the mission."

"Risk the mission or risk me?" she countered. "Don't pretend with me, Tharsos! I know you and you never hold the mission higher than the person."

Snatching her arm, I closed the distance between our faces, and the condensation of her breath flashed on my visor, "Maybe it's time I should. I'm not debating this, Selana." I pulled away and released my hold, starting for the hatch's descent, feeling her very watch follow me.

Her voice cracked as I reached the bottom of the ramp, "Just tell me if you're coming back, Tharsos. Please tell me you're coming back."

Selana's plea, combined with the doubts of this mission brought me to a dead halt, and I stood like a statue with my back facing her. I searched for the answer within me, but no matter how much I tried to force it out of my mouth, I couldn't bring myself to utter the words. Before making the painful steps forwards, I left her with a single statement, "I can't make any promises."

As if connected in some way, I could feel the tears stream down her cheeks and I could taste the salt in them. But for me, it was like fire in a deep wound cursed to remain for an eternity, and every inch I distanced myself from Selana, my heart burned with regret and fear. I couldn't offer her the last words I longed to speak, for fear of her following against my command. Upon my exit from the hangar, I took what could have been my last chance to look upon her, a fleeting sight I clung to like a frail memento that would serve as my only beacon to return.

* * *

He couldn't hide everything anymore. That was all too apparent. Like broken floodgates, Lukos knew Tharsos' conscience was afflicted with an abundance of conflicting thoughts, memories, and decisions bursting from his once sturdy ability to keep them bound and barred. He could tell Tharsos was trying to pick up the pieces, but all of his attempts were painfully futile, like grains of sand falling through his fingers. He was weary in body and mind, and Lukos came to appreciate the losses and struggles his teammates suffered. He didn't know why for sure, but in part, it made him content; he wasn't alone in wrestling with his insecurities.

Tharsos trudged behind him, resembling the man he had met long ago on the Wall, remaining uncomfortably silent during their trek to the docked Falcon's hangar where Sideros and Petros awaited.

"You did it to protect her, didn't you?" Lukos asked as casually as he could manage. "Ordering her to stay. Distancing yourself."

"What do my motives matter? The fact of the matter is she can't go."

"I'm not arguing with your choice. I have no idea why she can't tag along, but obviously you do. And you haven't mentioned anything about it. That alone makes me curious, but that's the least of our worries right now. Whatever your reasons are, you're determined. That much isn't in question, but are you prepared? For how this could turn on you."

It was then Lukos glanced at Tharsos in anticipation of an answer, but it was evident it hit him like a slug to the chest, as his body language suggested he was already asking himself that very question. "I lost my brother to negligence. I can't repeat that mistake again. I won't. Whether or not my reasons were transparent to you are of no concern to me. As long as she's ignorant to them, then I've succeeded in my aim. Whatever its penalties are, I'll gladly pay as long as I don't have to watch someone else I care about die."

"What about her price?"

Tharsos didn't answer immediately. The implications of Lukos' inquiry set in like an ocean's tide to a shore, and the allowed time to meditate on it was insufficient as they neared their destination's entrance. At the door, Lukos paused, "The point is, I can see you trying to determine how all of this is going to play out. Leading some lone, insane charge into the Fallen and Cabal like there's any real chance of us making a dent. Why risk it? If either you or Selana pay the consequences of a lunatic's fight, someone gets hurt, but there's always the alternative where neither of you pay a price. So why don't you stay too? Why are you still going through with it?"

Before entering the hangar, Tharsos held a grim stare with him, "Was there ever a time you thought about why Shachal was relied on so heavily? Even once since hearing about it from your father's stories? It was always home to three men who both volunteered and overcame what was declared impossible, right? I used to think they were the best because of that, but I've learned that's not it. Their reasons were never about stepping up to a challenge or proving a point. Fireteam Shachal simply accepted the battles they had no choice in picking. It was just about fighting because they had to and not because they wanted to. _That_ is why they were the best. Change that and all we accomplish is dishonoring the memory of Kaeneth and my father. These are unfavorable odds, and Kaeneth's death has to be answered with equal force, but that's not why we fight. Tackling the impossible is what they did and it's what we do. It's who we are, and we do it for the people who can't accept the battle, even if we don't want to confront the costs ourselves. We're just people, Lukos, but to anyone outside of Shachal, all they see in us are lunatics. Insane or not, this is our fight. This is _my_ fight, and I can't turn my back on it."

Lukos nodded with admiration and a exposed an acquiescent grin, "Your dad's and Kaeneth's deaths won't be in vain, big guy. You and I will see to that... I don't know about you, but I'm eager to get going. Any last words you want to send off to anybody?"

"None that I can safely speak," Tharsos answered and made his way forward with Lukos at his side.

Upon reaching the portside face of the uniquely outfitted Falcon, Lukos' whistle weakened to a faint, crackling breath as he overlooked every inch of it, "I thought Falcons weren't troop transport capable."

"This isn't an ordinary Falcon," Petros informed.

"Obviously. Is there anything that isn't on this thing?" Lukos asked as he admired the firepower secured to the vessel.

"Nothing that it couldn't hold. Equipped with an array of Firestorm Barrage missiles, two 30 millimeter auto-cannons, detection sensitive inhibitors, and four J59 'Cataclysm' AGMs, the Falcon M-SA offers far more power than its standard counterpart. Oh! I nearly forgot to mention the Armageddon warhead."

"This thing's packing a warhead? How much power?"

"Forgive me, Guardian Chorvo, but that information is beyond your clearance."

"Enough with the aviation discussion. Petros, engage flight systems. We are leaving."

Without further talk, Petros complied and zipped through the Falcon's interior until he was no longer visible to Tharsos or Lukos. Sideros spun around himself, and as he walked further into the relatively tight-quartered cabin of the Falcon, he indicated for them to follow, "Man your stations. Katenos, operate weapons. Chorvo, copilot. Our first destination will be in reach within the hour."

* * *

"Prepare to fire, Katenos."

With my gauntlets wrapped around the controls operating our armaments and my fingers hovering carefully over the triggers, my eyes darted to the side in response to my cue. Focusing on the dynamically changing horizon of Mars below us since breaching its atmosphere, I counted the seconds that passed before the edge of the eroded Buried City came into view. My grip closed, and just as I prepared to fully squeeze the levers on the other side, I was prompted to halt.

"Belay that, Guardian Katenos!" Petros demanded. "I'm detecting a transmission coming from the Cabal headquarters."

"Intercept it and initiate stealth systems," Sideros barked impatiently.

"Translating..."

The Falcon veered off course, at least for the time being, and I opened my hands, waiting for the contents of the enemy message to be communicated. A moment of hushed anticipation filled the claustrophobic space, and even following Petros' visual contact with Sideros, it endured.

"I'll replay the translated message."

Taking keen notice of his odd behavior, I lent the transmission the attention my eyes couldn't with my ears, a monotonous program relaying it to us through our helmets, or central processors in Sideros' case.

_"Your insolence is nearing unforgivable, Fallen Lord. The Cabal have been the protectors of the Essence for centuries. Our vaults have guarded Purity's heart for ages. We will not be commanded like servants upon your every whim. Your position is trivial to us, and we demand respect. If you do not meet these terms, we alone, who have been worthy of safeguarding Purity's Essence will answer appropriately and with a swift call. Do not tempt our strength or fury. Concerning the export, a transport shuttle has been mobilized to deliver its vessel. It would be wise to remain allied with us to guarantee that a war between the Cabal and Fallen will not ravage this system after the human filth is eradicated. This is your only warning."_

"Sounds like ties are getting tense between the Fallen and Cabal. But what the hell is this 'Purity' they were talking about?" Lukos queried with a furrowed brow.

It didn't take more than a moment for me to piece it together, "The prismatic device we saw outside of the Buried City."

Sideros processed the information for a brief moment in silence, "Can you triangulate the position of the transport shuttle?"

"I can attempt to," Petros began. "Do you intend to follow?"

"Yes, but before pursuit, the Cabal stronghold in the Buried City must fall. Katenos, reengage the weapons."

A tingling sensation burst over me, and I inhaled deeply as the Falcon was reverted to its original course. As we neared the compound where Kaeneth was taken from us, adrenaline flowed through me, an unbridled stream of rapidly increasing expectation.

"You hit those sons of bitches hard, Tharsos," Lukos hissed, no doubt envisioning the burning and crumbling ruins of devastation. A scene I too longed to see the Cabal helplessly perish within. As the Falcon closed in on the towers like a prowling bird on a keen hunt, I waited for the signal with unimaginable eagerness. Upon reaching the optimal attack range, Petros' indication flashed in the small bridge, and I clenched the triggers, and a series of brilliantly bright flashes tore the air asunder, a thunderous reverberation quaking as the terrifyingly powerful machine guns rippled into the compound's widespread walls, high and low. A stream of ruined dust and sediment tailed behind the obliterating rounds' trails.

Subsequently to that thorough series of gunfire, I slammed my thumbs down on the buttons resting atop the controls with an invigorated thirst for vengeance, and a stream of missiles were loosed from their ports and sought out their targets like sharks hunting down the aroma of freshly spilled blood. Mere seconds later, the impact of the Firestorm missiles erupted into a surprisingly satisfying cluster of explosions that resulted in much of the architecture crumbling to the ground.

"Disengage, Guardian Katenos. Distancing. Standby." The Falcon's flight pattern was adjusted and with unbelievable maneuverability, we arced around our objective and swept around ahead of it, now facing the other side of the compound. After Petros gradually increased altitude, he signaled for the conclusion. I took one last look at the site of Kaeneth's final stand before removing my hand from its grip and primed two of the Cataclysm AGMs. With the Firestorms disengaged and locked down, my previous hold was remade and I released them, prompting an immediate starboard turn and increased velocity. Without seeing the explosions themselves, I knew those AGMs earned their name well as the sky before us was illuminated with a violent beauty that lingered for several moments before dissipating.

An abrupt and pleased cheer escaped from Lukos as Petros maintained our route. I exhaled, unable to help the breath falter in irregular halts and continued releases. My tensed shoulders relaxed and I eased back into my seat.

"Adjust our course. Pursue the transport vessel."

"Affirmative, Kauson."

Upon exiting the Martian atmosphere, Petros piloted the Falcon accordingly and we found ourselves heading deeper into space, toward the adjacent orbit of Jupiter. For the next few hours, I watched for shadow-blocked stars in the fore window of the cockpit. We made considerable progress in our chase, and I sat staring upon a ship of substantial proportions, approximately three kilometers long. Almost as if a mythical beast of the ocean depths, it simply hung in the vacuum of space as if a derelict artifact of the sickly past. I couldn't see the Cabal transport ship, but I knew Petros was positive it was docked within the massive carrier since he stayed the path we were set on.

Sideros removed himself from his seat and before exiting the bridge, he glared at the Fallen construct, "Maintain concealment. Scan for hangars. Katenos, Chorvo, prepare to board the enemy vessel."


	29. Chapter 29: Machine

Chapter 29: Machine

"No. I won't send any of these men to their deaths. Not even you."

"The irrationality of humans never ceases to complicate their every affair. State the purpose of the Exo," Sideros growled with disfavor and annoyance to the man with arms outstretched on the tableside. "You will not speak it? I will. Whether by eliminating every threat or death by forfeit while doing so, safeguarding the human race is, above all else, the highest priority of the Exo program until risk of extinction is reduced to nothing."

Thumos Katenos scoffed and his amused grin vanished as soon as he looked at the defiant Exo, "I don't give a damn about your higher priority right now, Kauson. I'm just trying to take care of this mission and get these men out of here alive. Would you mind lending some assistance instead of incessantly repeating what your purpose as an Exo is? I'm a soldier, not some overprotected politician that needs you to die for me. Not one of these Guardians are expendable, including you. So either start thinking of a diversion that gets our men out alive, or shut the hell up and let me think."

An inferno erupted within Sideros, the outbreak of anger nearly overwhelming his already low patience. The only thing that quelled his fury was a small, but unavoidably present measure of admiration for the human that dismissed his offer to serve as a decoy while the main force assaulted the Fallen and Cabal from the opposite front. Everyone in the battle committee knew fully well that the decoy would surely be running into certain death, and Sideros grew tired of Thumos' futile efforts to find a method that wouldn't result in the team being killed upon exposure.

"When you find yourself spent, toiling over deaths you cannot avert, find me and I will accomplish what I was purposed for." With that, Sideros spun his bulky frame around and left the dim, ruined room behind.

He didn't have nerves to discern the air's characteristics as a human would, but his sensors indicated that the winds were cool and calm, to put it in qualities humans often used. Not a particularly welcome forecast for any team tasked with creating a suitable distraction. By the time Sideros had distanced himself as far as he could from the post's battle committee, he progressed to the crest of the modest hill that overlooked their objective and he simply observed the relevant details he understood as an Exo. The terrain was broad and open. Utilizing the trivial cover offered by the hillside and trying to engage in an attritive fight was a helpless goal that would make casualties of all involved a sure outcome. Searchlights scanned the landscape like an attentive bird of prey, waiting for the opportunity to strike, so stealth would prove to be an unlikely means of success as well. With the firepower the Cabal sentries had equipped at the peak of the ascent, the only practical approach that offered the greatest chance of success was a rapid charge straight up the climb.

Attempting to think of it as Thumos would, Sideros still couldn't come to any conclusion that would save Guardian lives, therefore bringing him to a more decided course of action. Although resolved, Sideros continued to study the search patterns of the intense lights hovering over the rocky incline when a familiar man stepped up next to him on the hill's crest.

"Thinking about how ta' tackle that line, Kauson?" The Exo didn't offer any reciprocation as the much shorter Kaeneth scanned the scene himself. "Ah, not much in the mood for talking, are ya'? Upset that there's a man more stubborn than an Exo like yourself?"

"He views battle like a child. Soldiers die in war. Avoiding it is an impossibility. If he wants to save the lives of Guardians, he should use the Exo for the reasons they were created."

"Aye, but isn't it good that a man like Thumos doesn't see Guardians o' any kind dispensable? Soldiers do die in war, but they're also the only ones that fight them." Kaeneth groaned with a slight yawn and as he turned away, he slapped Sideros' back, a stimulus he couldn't grasp as a human would. Even worse, he didn't know how to respond to it.

For the better part of the next half hour, Sideros attempted to comprehend these things. He had performed his duties with humans before, but not to this degree nor with soldiers as obstinate as these. Without realizing it, he had abandoned reasoning a strategy that would suffice in diverting the enemy's attention. The mysteries of human kind had their own forms of intrigue and though having once been indifferent, Sideros knew without a doubt that he wouldn't be rid of these men anytime soon.

"Do you have anything to contribute yet, Kauson, the sacrificial Exo?"

Sideros refused to reply and retained a composed poise as sturdy as a mountain.

Thumos sighed upon reaching him, "Didn't think so. You're determined to carry out your earlier proposition, aren't you?"

"Could you tell a man not to breathe?"

"I could, but I don't suppose I would," the Titan chuckled.

"But you would deny a machine its purpose."

"This time around, I'll ask you to live today so you can die another. Hopefully far from now. You're far more helpful to our cause than you give yourself credit for. I wouldn't see you waste your life on something like this when you could provide your skill sets for another day."

"Do you truly believe that I live? Your mind is truly not far from a child's. I exist, but I do not have a beating heart like you, Katenos. I am a mere machine; a creation intended to make the hardships of human wars simpler tasks."

Thumos' response was delayed, and for the first time in his existence, Sideros waited with anticipation. "Maybe you are just a machine. Maybe you're not alive, but under my command, you're going to act like you are. I need strong soldiers with me. And that's not to mention the debt I owe you."

"Meaningless concerns to an Exo."

"Probably for an Exo, but not for a man. Enough of that for now. Are you ready to besiege this fortification?"

Humans were indeed peculiar creatures, and Sideros nearly forgot to reply while he processed the confusing information that made them particularly strange. "You have formulated a strategy that would adequately satisfy your desire to keep your men alive."

"Not sure. I just decided I wouldn't send any of my men first." The Exo's blank stare didn't yield. "We'll just make a distraction for a distraction."

"Elaborate."

"That faulty weapons systems on the Stingray we retrieved from the other day is a lost cause, according to our mechanics. I thought we could give it a role in the assault here."

"Inoperable weapons do not present an efficient approach. The Cabal sentries have enough firepower to destroy the Stingray in short moments."

"So we'll have to make use of the time it gives us."

"Who is to operate the vessel?" Sideros asked, a measure of confusion and disappointment rising in his tone.

Thumos smiled, "No one. While they're not as effective on their own, Stingrays can be programmed to follow designated courses. We send it out ahead of us so it baits the searchlights and guns. From there a small team can storm the base under the cover of darkness and raise some hell while the main force attacks the neglected side. By the time the infiltration team gets deep enough to disable the outer defenses, the Fallen and Cabal won't be able to hold the base."

"The FWC will sure be pissed after ya' send one o' their Stingrays ta' get destroyed, faulty or pristine," Kaeneth said from behind, a truth Thumos simply shrugged off with an abrupt and uncaring laugh.

Sideros stared at him and contemplated the tactic. It was crude, but perhaps it would work. Even so, it wasn't without risk, and he never desired to be too faithful in the minds of humans. "You have determined who the diversion team will be? Yet there is no guarantee they will survive."

"I thought about that, and you're right. But I don't intend to send any for me. I'll go myself. The main force will be led fine without me."  
"Do you intend to go alone?"

"I did, but Kaeneth wouldn't have it. Two seems good enough to make do. We'll be able to strike fast."

"No, it is not. I will accompany you."

Both Thumos and Kaeneth smirked before the former proceeded to speak, "Back to your designation as an Exo?"

"You cannot tell a man not to breathe, but I will keep self-preservation a priority, Katenos, if that is how you would program my course."

Thumos laughed, "No, my friend. I would just have you fight at my side."

* * *

The final Fallen security member in the docking bay fell to the metallic floor in a heap of bleeding flesh and crushed armor. Following the thud produced by his fall, we shouldered our rifles in preparation for further defenses. I held my breath, waiting for an alarm or some other indication of approaching forces, but none came. Releasing an exhalation in relief of a relatively quiet entrance, I accounted for the presence and condition of Lukos and Sideros. Petros materialized from the disc on my belt and orbited us as if taking in the surroundings of a new home.

"The device we are pursuing was here, but no longer. The Fallen are wasting no time in transporting it."

"Can you determine its route? We need to follow as soon as possible," I told him, retaining my focus.

"Wait a moment as I scan the vessel. It is quite large and the activity within is far more immense in magnitude."

I looked at my teammates, "We need to keep any offense that could breach the ship's integrity to a minimum until the appropriate course of action is determined. We don't know how stable this battleship is."

"Agreed," Sideros replied, with Lukos nodding in affirmation next to him.

"Excellent. I have located the artifact. It is moving toward what appears to be a bridge of sorts. Perhaps something else that is of importance to the Fallen. I will provide your HUDs with the shortest route to intercept it. Guardian Katenos." Petros reverted to his form more convenient for transport and secured himself to my belt.

Aside from the security force tasked with guarding the hangar, it appeared as if the sectors near our present position were virtually abandoned. The power was hanging on by a thread and much of our careful trek was filled with shadows and a stifling stench that Lukos and me were forced to filter out of our armors' circulation systems. Labored thrums and mechanical groans desperately clung to life in these forsaken areas. I began to wonder how much of a battleship it was, considering its degenerate condition. It had to have been an old vessel and I wondered just how long it had roamed the stars.

It was then Lukos stopped us with a sudden signal, "Do you hear that?"

I held my breath and listened closely to a faint clamor teasing at our ears from an even darker passage of the ship at the intersection we stood near. "What is it?"

_"You could afford to investigate if you decided to. The path to your objective wouldn't be lengthened significantly by traveling this alternate route."_

"No, we can't risk exposing ourselves if it's something that could detect us," I stated, turning toward our initial course. I wouldn't deny my curiosity, but that didn't overpower my desire to keep our presence secret. The only change we had encountered as we continued through the dark halls was a gradually progressing quality of illumination. The features of the walls and floor seemed to confirm my earlier hypothesis. This battleship was extremely old. Some corridors were in better shape than others, but all of them were too far gone for hope of restoration. I couldn't help but pity the sight of them, until we came upon a scene even more depraved.

A turn set on our course presented to us a harsh reality I never expected to bear witness to. What would have been our path was blockaded with a carpet of decaying flesh. Fallen bodies, old and young, but all obviously having been sick and dying, were strewn about the expanse of the walkway like waste. I was thankful the aggressive smell of death was being filtered; I could only imagine how foul it was.

"They're not even soldiers," Lukos muttered, overlooking the grim scene.

"Noncombatants are not essential to preserve or protect when ill or on the verge of death. The strong are disposing of what threatens their longevity," Sideros said gravely.

"They couldn't eject them from the ship sooner? Instead they leave their dead to rot. How does the risk of disease factor for them?" Lukos hissed.

"Maybe it's a statement. An act of shaming the lives that they led. If it's the strong that obtain recognition, then wouldn't the weak be the ones dishonored?"

Lukos glanced at me before shaking his head and stepping backward, "Fallen are scumbags to their own people too."

"Petros, find an alternate route. Their bodies have been desecrated enough. We will not add to it by passing over them," Sideros demanded, returning to the nearby intersection.

_"Done,"_ Petros said, a new waypoint appearing on our HUDs.

With a final and fleeting glance of remorse, we left the mass grave behind and pursued the prize of our efforts.

* * *

A troop of eight ordinary Raiders entered the throne room, delivering Purity's Essence to Sarkaun. The doorway clasped shut after the soldiers and cargo cleared its vicinity. He gazed upon the powerful object as if entranced with its deceiving appearance. Even when his subordinates gently set it down and bowed low before him, Sarkaun cared nothing for their gestures and dismissed them with a guttural growl. As he descended the steps encircling his throne, the Fallen Lord granted his inferiors just a moment of attention, ordering them to stand by as he studied Purity's vessel.

It had been ages since he looked upon it, and although he stared at it with an almost mesmerized expression, Sarkaun loathed what lied within. So much that he wished that he could destroy it, but from what history had taught, he knew the effort was a futile aim. Despite his deep hatred borne for the contents of the vessel, he respected it, and he longed to see the culmination of his campaign against the humans bear the fruit of the Tsa'ah glory. He would see it done through this. Having recounted malicious memory and experienced late admiration to his fill, Sarkaun faced the Raiders who had delivered Purity's heart.

"(This ship is infested with a plague far worse than the weak Tsa'ah. Capture the humans who disgrace it with their toxic breaths. Do not fail to let them get so deep that escape is an impossibility. Bring them to me so that I may make trophies out of their corpses myself.)"

"(As you command, my Lord,)" the lead Raider replied with a deep bow. Barking orders to his subordinates, Sarkaun watched them depart with his word at their heels. He then rallied the attention of his Honor Guard.

"(Prepare yourselves for battle.)"

* * *

"What is this?"

We had already seen the death of expendable individuals before. What lied before us was a crowd of the barely living, lying on the floor in states beyond typical fragility or illness. One of the first things I had noticed next to the difficult image of their state was that our presence wasn't even noticed by the noncombatants that drew deep breaths from the congested space. Most lied either asleep or dead from any number of causes including malnutrition and disease. As I bore witness to a horror I found worse to humanity's in many ways, I caught the sight of a youth that I could only guess was a preadolescent staring at me. It didn't have the strength to speak, and its eyes were nearly empty when it began to glare at me with an indescribable countenance of hatred. Even mistreated by the stronger of its people, this child despised my very existence, and I could only step back when it tried to claw in frail strokes at my leg.

"So this is what leads what was left behind in those halls," Sideros noted.

_"They perish even as you stand here,"_ Petros mentioned from a silence he hadn't broken since sending us on our way.

Lukos shook his head in regard for the reprehensible treatment they suffered, "What do we do?"

"We continue to move forward," Sideros answered in prompt fashion. "They are too feeble to alert any guards."

"Just leave them?"

"Sideros is right," I started. "There's nothing we can do for them. Especially if they want us dead more than they want to live."

Sideros and I proceeded through the mounds of bodies that left nothing but a few open spaces to walk upon. Lukos lagged behind, staring at the Fallen civilians with both compassion and pity, "Should we put them out of their misery? I know I couldn't live like this."

"We can't, Lukos. We won't. We're not the Fallen who take life where it should be left alone. They deserve a chance to survive just as much as we do back on Earth. Even if the gamble seems unbeatable." The Hunter chewed on my words, savoring the bitter taste of the reality that surrounded him at his feet before removing himself from their sight, and followed me through the next doorway.

Upon our entering, we were met with an expected, but undesired party. A troop of Raiders and Dregs stood around the room, waiting to clamp down on us like a vice's jaws. Slinging the New Monarchy shotgun from my back, I rolled my shoulders forward, feeling the relaxation pulse through my muscles, "Remember to keep the hull's integrity in mind."

It was then we darted from our positions and initiated the impending fight. Unlike the usual Dregs that populated most Fallen Houses I was accustomed to, these proved yet again that they were ferocious and fearless even in death, taking full opportunity of their mad sacrifices to present openings to their superiors. And the Raiders made every use they could out of the bodies being thrown at us, showering the blood we already spilled with pellets fired from their shotguns. The Dregs' corpses served as excellent body shields, but with each blast released by the Raiders, they erupted into explosions of flesh and bone, their blood spattering on us substantially. But unfortunately for them, we made use of the opportunities given to us, and as Lukos vanished within the blood bursting around the area, the Raiders didn't have time to watch the blade that split necks or the gun that screamed in their ears, albeit extremely short occurrences. What few remained were cut down in quick succession of CQC attacks by Sideros and myself.

"They're getting more zealous," Lukos said. "Did you see how careless they were about their own lives? How quick they threw them away."

"Their goal is within reach. The assault on the Last City approaches. We need to keep moving forward. The artifact from Mars is suspect for their gains. Acquisition is vital," Sideros responded.

"What are we going to do with it when we find it?" Lukos inquired with force.

"Destroy it."

My comrades shared neither agreement nor refusal with me as we bolted forward along our course, fortunately clear from civilian and soldier. But I knew more lied in wait somewhere. The Fallen knew we were here. A force tasked to stop us wouldn't have been sent if they didn't, and I prepared my aim, borne from focus and fervor, for the first target it would find. I had enough of the delays, waits, and contemplations. I wanted to end this conflict, and I was content shedding the blood of my enemies with no remorse or clemency.

"The target location is close!" Petros informed, the expectation in both his voice and our movements equally matched. Just mere feet from the doorway, it opened up to us like a yawning beast, and within lied a grand room, featured with plenty of cultural decor and a single article of furniture. Amidst the deep, dark blues shimmering with the light of the distant sun from outside its broad windows, a massive figure that only reminded me of his ancient opposition toward my home, team, and family, stood before a throne, over twenty Fallen soldiers guarding the base of its steps with frighteningly silent vigilance. Clad in elaborate, but resilient suits of armor, they waited like statues for a single word. A word that hadn't been spoken yet by the Admiral that rallied the Fallen against the City, captured Lukos, and killed Kaeneth and my father.

As he opened up in speech, Petros provided us with the translations playing through our helmets, _"Will the hour ever pass when human and glorified machine are not impeding my journey? Will I ever rest my eyes upon the face of my new home without being reminded of the futile resistance its stubborn creatures pursued for centuries?"_

"Your fault is your own if you think humanity will let you kill them without fighting beforehand," I retaliated, barring no portion of animosity and defiance toward him, but all I received in return was a cruel and almost inhuman laugh. He was truly amused.

_"Your tongue would have been the death of you if I were not the one to kill you, little one. Fight or surrender, you, the humans, machines, and abominations are already dead. Crushed beneath the call to arms or executed by the mighty hand of the Tsa'ah, the strong will decide the fate of the weak. Let it shake your hearts. Let it tremble in your body. The doom of the weak is always death, and I, Sarkaun Basan'atosh, the Lord of the Tsa'ah and House of Anguish, will be glorified on a throne crafted from your bones and will be honored for ages to come! I shall begin by making your skulls and spines my armrests and fashioning the Exo into the cup from which I will drink your blood!"_

Following his closing declaration, he commanded his Honor Guard with a roar, each of which moved with mirrored movements, precise and exact, displaying their extraordinary measure of discipline as their patient march grew swift and they charged for us with unyielding, fearless strides. Before they reached the clash of our battle, I witnessed this Sarkaun reach down and touch the prism we were here to destroy. Although most of his actions were obscured by the approaching Honor Guard, it didn't require attention to notice the radial burst of light fire from a thin port on its side. The cloud broadened around the room, and I watched as it simply passed through our advancing enemy and neared my team and me. Contact was made with the inescapable blast, but I felt no pain. Only a moment after, I felt drained; fatigued beyond description. I fought to keep my legs under me, but the exhaustion was one I couldn't defy, and my knee met the floor, Lukos suffering the same effects next to me.

"What the hell is this?" he murmured through a faltering slur.

Struggling to lift my head up, I watched the Fallen Honor Guard retain their steadfast pace with the back end of their spears pointed at us, a vibrant and blazing glow emanating from compact barrels built into them growing more intense in color. My gaze fell to the floor as I fought to keep my arms extended and planted on it. As I stared at unsuccessful attempts to even flick my forefinger to the side, I thought about how I didn't want my final moments to pass as I knelt or lied before my enemies. But no matter how much I fought, I could only keep my body from the floor's embrace. I cursed at the thought of not dying while I stood, and while my eyes shut and I only saw black, I tried not to search for peace in my death. When the blasts were loosed, I released my last breath.

* * *

Spring couldn't have come sooner. Stepping out of the living quarters and into the warmth of the bold sun blanketing the ground at our home's door, I relaxed at the comforting touch of the ground on my bare feet. My father was sitting on a bench just to the left of the door and squinted at me as I stepped off of the balmy concrete, "It's a nice day, isn't it?" I nodded, taking a seat next to him. "What's Thureos doing?" he asked.

"Sleeping," I replied in short. "He got tired from wrestling with me this morning." My dad chuckled and proceeded to shake a firm, painfully strong grip on my shoulder. As we basked under the welcome and soothing touch of the sun, I thought about the hand that squeezed my shoulder so hard it still made me wince some, "Do you like being a Guardian, Dad?"

After he exhaled, I wasn't quite sure what I wondered about more: the sigh or waiting for his answer. He stretched and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and interlocked his calloused fingers, "About as much as the next guy, I guess."

"Is that a lot?"

"Depends on the soldier," he responded.

"Which one are you?" I inquired, unrelentingly curious.

My father then inhaled so deeply his chest stuck out, "I'm the one that thinks about both sides; what you guard and what you guard against."

His face bore the look of a man deep in thought, and as he stared into space, I turned my gaze back toward nothing in particular myself, "Which one do you think about most?"

"You're full of questions today, aren't you?" he chuckled. When silence followed, he simply groaned, "If you think of what you're guarding most, you get complacent and get caught off guard. On the other hand, if you think about what you're fighting too much, you can forget what you're fighting for and that can break most men."

"So you have to think of both equally." Looking back at him, I watched as he just stiffened his jaw and leaned back in his seat, patting my back. "Is it hard being a soldier?"

"If it wasn't, there would be more of them than there are people who need to be fought for."

I reflected on what he had told me, and I wasn't ignorant to the fact that I was asking him difficult questions. I could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. Even so, I had more questions and persisted to ask them, "What do you do if you can't win a fight?"

Dad shook his head and grinned, "If I answer, will you stop asking questions?"

I debated on whether or not to accept his offer, but I figured I could talk to him more another time, and responded with a series of nods.

"When you can't win, you stand up and lose with dignity, but you never accept the defeat."

* * *

"Stand up!"

My eyes opened at the deafening shout, but having been startled at the call became less of importance when I looked at my arms outstretched on the ground. The surface of my armor burned with a reddish-orange energy, its coats often flicking like a flame biting at the oxygen in the air. Sideros' Radiance. I had never seen him use it. Although faint, I felt a morsel of strength in my body, and the weight of the exhaustion that had just occupied my entire being began to disappear like shackles being stripped from my body.

"Katenos, Chorvo! Stand up! Petros, find an exit!"

_"Already engaged, Kauson."_

Revitalized, I continued to feel the gradual increase in stamina refuel my muscles as I pulled myself back to my feet. There was no better feeling than having my hands freed from the floor, even as I staggered for a second upon standing erect. Sideros was contending with the Honor Guard, standing between them and us. Lukos was also on his feet next to me, aiming his revolver at the crowd, trying to regain his focus. Several shots missed their intended targets, inflicting only flesh wounds to the Guards at best or damage to the throne room.

Forced to step back several paces, I studied the combat as best as I could and aimed my shotgun into the host so as not to hit Sideros, but Sarkaun had made himself known within the crowd and threw a sweeping stroke toward the Exo, only to sunder air for a fraction of a second. Sideros, having evaded either all or most critical blows, wasn't without his wounds, and as he distanced himself just a few paces from our enemies, his Nova Bomb created the opening only he was aware of.

"Retreat, damn it!" He grabbed my shoulder and shoved me to the door, an indication Lukos and I had taken surprisingly well to in our circumstances. Fleeing and putting the battleground as fast as we could behind us, Sideros frequently turned around to stay our pursuers with more Nova Bombs, allowing Lukos and me to get a lead.

_"Kauson."_

"What is it?! Guide us back to the Falcon!"

_"I would, but they have blocked any and all access points to it,"_ the Ghost replied.

"Hack the closest access point then!"

_"The firewalls aren't the issue. They have completely disconnected the controls from the doors with purposeful damages. I believe they knew of my presence and were sure they would prevent me from accessing it remotely. And before you recommend it, reducing the door to oblivion with any means of force is out of the question. With such proximity to the outer hull, that kind of power could destabilize the sector even more, lowering our chances of success even more so."_

I listened to the conversation closely as we ran down halls I couldn't have said were familiar or indistinct. We were lost in this ship and I began to grow confident in my earlier analysis. Coming here was a mistake. At least in the manner we had. Whatever the Fallen Lord had done to us was dangerous and to Guardians of an organic sort in particular.

"How do you propose we escape then?" Sideros asked Petros, the repeated sounds of gunfire and explosions igniting in the corridors behind Lukos and me.

After a brief delay, Petros' burdened voice answered, _"I don't know."_

I couldn't believe what I heard. Petros never said he didn't know. As I continued to race through winding passages to an unknown destination, all I could think of was how Sideros only prolonged the inevitable. There was no viable means of escape, and we didn't make the dent we were hoping to make by coming here. If at the very least we could have succeeded in that, I could have been content.

The Nova Bombs bursting behind began to grow louder again, thus bringing about the realization that our pursuers were gaining on us. It only made sense. Lukos and I were running too slow, whereas they were obviously not affected by the discharge Sarkaun released from the prismatic artifact. Just when I nearly spoke to end this meaningless chase, Petros came in through the noise, _"There is another hangar that may provide a Fallen shuttle I could perhaps override for use. Updating waypoints."_

And then the blasts following us like bellowing hounds transformed into muffled reverberations. The sudden shift in intensity forced me to a halt and turn to see the door just behind us sealed shut.

_"Kauson! What are you doing?"_

The Exo's resolute voice played through our helmets hoarsely, _"Reaching the objective at that distance would require time you cannot afford."_ Petros materialized and his body glowed with a suggestion of fury and impatience as he floated to the control panel and began overriding the lock.

_"Do not waste the effort. I have destroyed the access panel on this side. The time it would take them to cut through it should offer the time necessary for your escape. Retreat from the battleship and return to the City immediately."_

"Sideros, why are you doing this?! I order you to rendezvous with us!" I shouted at my side of the thick door, but only silence followed.

"Tharsos, there's no quick way of getting through that door," Lukos urged with a whisper.

_"I am not under your charge, Katenos... Leave. The Fallen will cut through the door leading to me soon. They will not hesitate to cut through yours either when finished with me."_

"You don't command me either. I'm the leader of this fireteam, remember?"

"Guardian Katenos, we must leave," Petros droned lowly.

"I won't have this, Sideros!"

_"I would do as I was purposed, as should you. Live. Our enemies will not kill themselves. Now go. There is no more time to spare,"_ the Exo protested in a collected tone.

The hint of somberness caught me off guard though. I stepped away from the door, searching for words of solace. Before I bothered, I challenged myself by asking who they were for: Sideros or me. "We'll come back for you. You have my word."

An empty pause ensued on the channel, _"The irrationality of humans still confounds me..."_ With uncanny timing, the channel was cut off and the corridor Sideros trapped himself within was filled with the thunderous breach of a door and wails of chaos.

As cries of combat and death proceeded to ring in subdued echoes, Petros flashed the lights underneath his body to get my attention, "We must go, or this will have been for nothing." I nodded in agreement whilst looking at the door one last time. I hesitated before turning to follow our Ghost to the hangar. Every stride we took from the door felt like betrayal. While feeling like a traitor, I waited for Sideros to open the channel up again, indicating he survived and we would rendezvous, but the hope was high, and every second it remained dead quiet-every second we closed in on potential escape-I began to feel the hope dwindle to nothingness.

Having dwelled on the sacrifice made for us, the frantic journey to the hangar ended sooner than expected, but more so, what awaited us. A Fallen drop ship, still and in prime condition, was docked like a faithful beacon prepared to lead us home. In disbelief, I slowed and stared at it, my gaze just starting to search for a way up to the service hatch on its side, "Petros, find-"

A series of swiftly propelled rockets launched from the railway across from the nose of the drop ship, finding well-placed homes in the hull, decimating it and bringing the pieces struck by the explosions raining down ahead of us. As our expectation of safe passage crumbled with the falling steel and fire, the demolition team shifted their aim toward us and opened fire, forcing us into a corner with little cover to protect us from the onslaught of gluttonous rockets.

"Petros, transform and find us something else!" I demanded, putting my back against the steel wall to further myself from the annihilation. I couldn't believe the Fallen would risk obliterating their vessel with such brash attacks, and I didn't want to wait for the further disadvantage we would suffer if that came to pass. The Ghost complied with my first order, but his reply concerning my second was hard to hear.

_"There is nothing else, Guardian Katenos. That was our last chance."_

Refusing to accept his answer or Sideros' wasted sacrifice, I searched desperately for another option for escape. Meanwhile, Lukos, also with his back to the wall, broke out into a series of hysterical laughs, denoting the hopelessness of the scenario. My search was vain and my eyes returned to the blank wall opposite of me, only despair possessing my thoughts. I reminisced about my father and brother when times were simpler. The final image I had last seen of Selana weeping occupied my mind as well, and I felt regretful for not having had the opportunity to tell her goodbye properly.

A rush of crackling sounds initially removed from my attention reached my ears, and as I looked around the corner we were pinned in, a dark tear appeared within space, a black and violet abyss which gaped open at us; its teeth like white lightning bolts the thickness of spider webs clattering around its edge in raw snaps and gusts. Lukos and I had both grown quiet as we stared at the portal sit uninterrupted before us.

And then a silhouette began to appear behind its event horizon, like a shadow beginning to show its face just beneath the surface of dark and obscure waters. Crackling upon entrance like breaking glass, our stares persisted in awe and disbelief as an unlikely acquaintance greeted us, indicating for us to enter the doorway, "Hello, my friends. It appears you are in need of some assistance." We accepted the offer his outstretched hand lied open before, for no other option remained. "Mind you, Fireteam Shachal. This will be painful, but you should survive the voyage."

He was correct, perhaps even understating the experience as we traveled through the torn dimension like a doorsill between space, only the passage felt like an eternity as my body locked up in agony. When I opened my eyes, I was lying on a patch of grass clinging to life amidst the confines of a rocky outcropping. Lukos rolled onto his back beside me. Dismissing the anguish that had actually only lasted a few seconds, I stood and faced the second Exo that just saved our lives.

"You have questions, I suspect," Theron began, "though I am not the one you should ask. There is someone I want to introduce you to." Gesturing behind us, his hand lied palm up to the back of a figure overlooking a broad landscape I knew was Earth thanks to the sight of the faint moon in the darkening sky. Before the warm horizon bound to grow cool, another Exo faced us, a celestial blue pair of eyes looking into our very beings, the wisdom of time emanating from within. "This is the Messenger, my friends. She has an urgent matter to speak of with you."


	30. Chapter 30: Forewarning

Chapter 30: Forewarning

The female Exo proceeded to hold her bold, yet comforting gaze with Lukos and me while Theron stood obediently behind us. Compared to the male-inspired Exo, her body's build was slight and short against the horizon. Theron had helped us in a dire circumstance before, but I couldn't say without a doubt that I could trust him, and by extension, I wasn't sure if I trusted this individual in front of me any more than him. I sensed Lukos' hand flare with nervous anticipation, bringing me to believe he shared the same concerns.

Her cloak drifted gracefully with the wind as she shifted her footing, and the sunlight shimmered brightly upon her silver frame, "You don't trust me. I can see it in your eyes."

Steadying and relaxing my stiff back, my alert gaze darted left and right, "I don't know you, and I tend to avoid trusting people I don't know."

The Messenger's face darkened as her eyes disappeared underneath closed eyelids, "I was not designed for combat, but if I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have sent Theron to rescue you from certain death, Tharsos Katenos."

"How do you know my name? Who are you?"

She chuckled faintly and opened her eyes, her stare softening, "I have no name. Just the designation of Messenger, but I am your friend and ally to humanity's salvation. You have my word. As for knowing who you are, I have been watching for a very long time."

"That doesn't earn you any trust. If anything, it only does the opposite," Lukos asserted.

"No, it does not, Lukos Chorvo, but neither of you need to trust me. At least not yet. All you need to do is listen carefully. What you believe after I say what I must is what matters."

"You seem to be particularly informed about our names. I can't imagine how your knowing more about us would be beneficial."

"I must praise you for your wariness. You know a powerful deception lurks within your Last City, and you're doing well to oppose any threat that stands allegiant to the traitor. Calm yourselves. I'm not affiliated with the betrayer or your home, but like you, I exist to serve its inhabitants."

"Do you know who the traitor is, and how do you serve?" I inquired the Messenger.

"I only know he or she exists. The answer to your second question resides within my title," she responded kindly. "I came to bring you a message, Guardians. One that holds the fate of your people at stake; one that could end your struggle."

Her reply struck me silent with a shocking disbelief. I remained chiefly reserved, but there were recesses within me that yearned to wonder. Could we truly end the war? Was there still hope for us left? For fear of lies trying to be sold, I suppressed those age-old desires often wished in my days of solitude on the Wall. I couldn't lose myself to hopes held high. "Begin."

The Messenger's head rolled slightly, directing her attention right at me, "Very well. In order for you to understand the situation you're in now, you must first know what happened before. This has been a conflict that has existed for both a long time and no time at all, depending on the perspective being absolute or relative."

Lukos whispered, "I get the feeling this is gonna get confusing." Merely lending an ear to his remark, I proceeded to listen to our message.

"What do you know of your history concerning the Traveler, Darkness, and Collapse?" the Exo asked, as if already expecting the content of my reply.

"I know what everyone is told about them. What we live with because of it. The Traveler was a visitor to this system, and remained much of a mystery even until now. It established a refuge after the Darkness conquered city after city and planet after planet. Victory was an unachievable notion, and even now little expectation remains to see it realized."

"Have you ever wondered where they came from, the Traveler and the Darkness?"

"I don't think anyone hasn't, but how could we know where they came from?"

"That is the truth, Tharsos. You couldn't, because you haven't discovered it yet."

Lukos and I stood and stared at the Exo with bewildered expressions plastered on our faces, trying to comprehend her statement. "What do you mean?"

"Did you think the powers that have come to both your aid and destruction were from the same timeline as your own?"

"What are you telling us? That the Darkness came from the future?" Lukos asked.

The Messenger simply looked into his eyes without speaking, but the affirmation was made clear, "The Darkness and Traveler both."

"Alright, alright. Slow down a minute," Lukos interrupted with his hands up. "How would you know this? We can't just take you for your word."

"Because I am as well. Theron has displayed his ability to bend space at will. A similar manner of manipulation can be applied with the dimension of time," the Messenger replied in prompt fashion.

"That's why you're here," I deduced, breaking the quiet lull. "This war is older than us. It's just the battlefield that's new."

"No, the armies that have waged it are just as old. While the location has shifted, the most significant change is the timeline. Because humanity was annihilated in the time I belong to, the Darkness had set its focus on its last threat."

Processing the information was proving to be a daunting and even petrifying experience as I attempted to tie ends I hadn't even heard spoken from the Messenger yet. My mind raced and spun with questions that I had never asked or thought of before. As the Messenger continued, I could only feel intimidated by the wealth of knowledge presented to us.

"Humanity. You wouldn't know the future. You can't possibly know it, but I can tell you that your people thrived and prospered beyond imagination. Much like the accelerated progress you attained during your Golden Age, but there's one difference. You didn't accelerate as quickly as you did in this timeline. Humans never acquired the powers and capabilities you have come to know and rely on until over a thousand years after daring to venture deeper and deeper into the abysses of space. It was a dangerous risk to take, but in the light of progress and expansion, nothing stops humanity from achieving its goals. There came a time when your would-be descendants felt like development plateaued, and they unceasingly searched for the next great discovery. When they happened upon a planet in a distant solar system that emitted strange types of radiation, humans believed they discovered the supreme form of energy in the galaxy. And they toiled for years until they learned of a way to harvest it."

"The Light..." I whispered under my breath.

The Messenger paused and looked at me, "Yes, as well as the Darkness."

Staring at her in shock and awe, I meditated on the reasons behind humanity's actions. Even though I inferred they had no idea what they were getting involved with, I didn't cease to ask myself why they played with a fire that obliterated their existence and nearly did the same to ours.

"You appear distraught, Tharsos," the Messenger said, observing me closely. "You already know they didn't understand what they disturbed in corners of the galaxy that should have been left alone, don't you? Yet you blame them for the suffering beset upon you today."

Partly ashamed for feeling so, I simply glanced at our new acquaintance before lowering my gaze to the earth for further contemplation.

"Don't blame yourself for thinking that way. Your descendants expected you to hate them when they learned the Darkness would set its eyes on you next. Just before they sent the Traveler to protect you."

An extensive delay followed, allowing Lukos and me to let the information seep deeply in our minds. It was then I realized Petros had remained unspoken for the duration of the conversation. I could only wonder why he was remaining purely a listener.

"So humanity got wiped out from your future? And just before the last man fell, he hit the panic button that sent the Traveler here. Since the Darkness is what fueled your technology, you could say you sent a vessel full of that shit straight to our front door. Way to spread your problems around places it shouldn't have been," Lukos sneered spitefully.

"It's not that simple. Tell me if you believe the power infused within you feels like a force that is trying to bring your people to extinction. The energy was an excellent source of provision for both technological and organic beings for many years, but once spoiled on the capabilities of power, many cannot help the desire to find something even stronger. Harvesters and distributors often debated on the reliability of their newly found energy source. Some found it fine raw, but the two most prominent sides of the conflict argued about how to refine and purify the energy for even more effective use. They shared the practice of isolating the two component elements of the compound we knew as Achromon, but their difference of opinion regarded which base substance to use while disposing of the other. Each component part operated in different ways. One was prone to act erratically but was extremely potent. The other, however, was more reliable and efficient, although not as strong as its counterpart. Civil unrest often times broke out, and even though it was officially deemed unsafe to utilize the former substance, illegal refinement was being performed behind closed doors. With a reveal some years after its influence grew too large to contain in secret, the providers of more stable energy sources crumbled beneath the heel of their industrial opponents."

Beginning to see where this was going, I calmed myself, putting my own thoughts to rest for the moment, and listened intently.

"It appears as though you've come to the correct conclusion. The base components to this raw energy source are the existences which you know as the Darkness and the Light. One thing that persists to elude me is the beginnings of the original compound. That much I cannot tell you. Perhaps it has existed since the beginning of time, but in any case, that is most of the essential history prior to the war."

"Let me guess. Their creation backfired on them," Lukos said from the silence, first glancing at the vigilant Theron, who listened to the story he had already heard from a distance.

"Precisely. It is impossible to imagine that which you haven't experienced or sensed. Humanity had never encountered a being that occupied a form of matter such as Achromon, and they didn't realize they were slowly killing it. No action is made without cause, thus the Darkness struck back at its foe. For a time, the reason for the Darkness' rampage was unknown, but after witnesses described it consuming specific energy reserves, it was made clear. The worst crime you could commit toward a conqueror is taking power away from it, and that is the offense your descendants committed in the sight of the Darkness. Shadows depend on light sources to exist, and it was discovered that the Darkness was indeed dependent on the power of the Light, namely stability and sustenance. Without consuming Light, the Darkness would die. Without, it's longevity is reduced tremendously compared to its original form, which was believed to be endless. Why did it come here if it consumed everyone and everything from my timeline, you might ask? Fortunately, the highest concentration of Light energy had been preserved in a single vessel that was programmed to flee from that era to find you, the ancestors of a people who had erred; the threat that could again tear Darkness' dependence from its grasp if they ever found its resting place again."

"Why wouldn't it just go to another time period even further back? A time when humanity would have been completely helpless," I thought out loud, waiting for the Messenger's reply.

"Like I mentioned, the Darkness needs nourishment, and its nourishment came to you at a very specific time for a deliberate purpose. If it pursued an even younger humanity, it would have been too weak from the time jump and injury to survive. Furthermore, the Traveler's decree would have been carried out and the Darkness would have perished in the cosmos before it could finish its search. That is why your empire was hit so hard upon its arrival. Waiting for the Traveler to reinforce your solar system would have led to the Darkness' swift demise, so it tried to crush the foundation as soon as possible before it became too strong. As difficult as it was to accept the fact that many casualties would fall victim to the Darkness' siege, your descendants had no other choice but to send the Traveler here when they did. They knew the Darkness would follow and many of you would die, but no other point in the timeline would have yielded better chances for success. All due to the fact that you were on the cusp of venturing deep into space, but cautious enough to heed the Traveler's warning."

Lukos shook his head, biting his lip with antagonism blistering in his eyes, "Sending them here despite knowing so many would die doesn't help your cause here very much."

"Soldiers know better than anyone to question the value of sacrifice. Your descendants dreaded the thought of so many falling victim to the Darkness, but they also realized the gain their people would achieve if their ancestors succeeded in slaying it."

"But if the Traveler didn't come here, neither would have the Darkness. Didn't you think of that before sending it to us?"

"They did, but the matter is a complex one. Don't forget that the Light and Darkness were once one in the same, thus they share a consciousness. The Light's purpose was specified to serve and protect humanity, whereas the Darkness' pursuit was self-preservation exacted by reacquiring the Light and eliminating the threat to its source of provision. Because of the benevolent intention to safeguard mankind, the Darkness understood striking the Traveler's objective would increase its chances of dominating and conquering the Light before it dispersed and multiplied so much that victory would be beyond reach. And the Light knew the Darkness fully understood you would be the force that could defeat it. Many mysteries came with this, but my creators came to theorize that somehow, the Achromon was imprisoned within this planet, and since it was freed, knowing how it would act with its liberation once reabsorbing the Light substance was an unknown. If the decision to overwhelm the Darkness with a more powerful Light was left alone, the Achromon could have potentially become an immortal force that would consume and destroy everything in the galaxy until nothing but a void was left in its wake."

"So who holds the upper hand now? I would imagine the Traveler managed to multiply the content of Light it was originally transporting, but the Darkness hit us hard. How do we kill it in the state we're in?" I asked, my eyes unmoving as I awaited the Messenger's answer.

"It's difficult to say which is stronger right now. Energy cannot be destroyed, therefore those that died during your Collapse were drained of their Light reserves, including those measures that existed during my time. Even so, the journey taken by an unguarded force takes a tremendous toll on any being, including the Darkness, so it has been biding its time while its servants prepare the way for the culmination of its return. It has acquired an unadulterated hatred for humanity, and it will go to any lengths to eliminate you whilst also balancing the dilution it has been suffering for centuries. Know, Guardians, that you are the prize for both the Light and Darkness, as you hold the hope of restoration for either your people or the Darkness' power, but by being so, you're also bait for the opposition. You have been since the Traveler was put to sleep; since it gave you much of the Light it wielded. The Darkness has been slumbering for just as long as well, and it's only a matter of time before it awakes and emerges from its burrow to strike."

"And I presume that will be when we have to counter, but with what tactic? Even having struggled against it for so long, we don't know how to directly combat the Darkness."

"I do," the Messenger responded sharply. "Unfortunately, its agents are stealthy and patient. If I were to disclose that information right now, I would risk the opening that will surely arrive eventually. Forgive me, but this is where I must ask you to trust me. I will arrive when that opportunity presents itself, and I will inform you with the necessary details so that you may put an end to this cataclysmic force for good, securing humanity's emancipation."

My head dropped with high expectations crushed, and I released an unsteady sigh. We had to wait for a day I couldn't wait for. I wanted to know what it was like to live without fighting so desperately for survival that persisted to slip from our grasp more and more every day. Before I could continue the discussion, a recent question that I had meant to ask reemerged from the back of my mind, "You said the Traveler had a warning for us. From what I remember from our history, one was never communicated."

"Unfortunately, the Traveler suffered from the trek as well. It was programmed to give you the admonition, but without preparing your people for the Darkness' assault, it would have done no good. Weakened from the voyage here, fatigued from the construction and mobilization of the Exo, and silenced by your enemies, it never had the opportunity to tell you."

"What was its warning?" Lukos queried.

"Some things should be left buried, and some of the mysteries about the universe should be left unexplored."

"I'm not sure if we would have listened."

"You would have once the Darkness inevitably slaughtered so many of you."

"Is that your purpose as Messenger?"

She observed me as if pleased with my perception, "Yes, I was a planned contingency also sent here to guide you if need be. In truth, I didn't expect my presence to be required, but I must say I'm relieved to be here. The Darkness' advent is nearing. I regret I cannot share anymore of the conflict that awaits without risking enemy spies countering our plan. But there is something that I can tell you though, concerning a day that will arrive much sooner," the Exo said, watching my body language as closely as ever.

"Before you do, I must ask you one more thing."

"Ask and I will answer if I am able."

"Is Sideros alive?"

She paused and blinked once, "I don't know. While I was provided with the vital information that will aid you in your people's salvation, I do not have the ability to foresee the future. I simply know what is in progress and what must be done, and not what has occurred beyond my sight."

Nodding with another anticipation disappointed, I exhaled sharply, "Then tell us what you say is safe for you to speak."

The Messenger's visage hardened and her gaze grew more focused than ever, "Since the party is not present, I will entrust you to relay these details as soon as you are able. It concerns Selana Kaiah's visions."

* * *

Utter silence. I couldn't describe the stillness any other way. In the passenger hold of a passing Guardian vessel that had triangulated our transmission for immediate emergency pickup, shadows clinging to the edges of the enclosure we sat within rocked and shifted in unison with my body as the ship swayed and lurched to the City. It wasn't until the small ship's speakers buzzed with a travel report indicating we had just passed the Wall that its harmony was disturbed.

I glanced at my only accompanying teammate who matched my demeanor in the dark. It began to set in with me. We couldn't help but have faith in the information that the Messenger had told us regarding the Darkness and our true mission. What else could one do when presented with the chance to end this conflict that once felt impossible to overcome? Feeling helpless was no longer a concept I wished to dwell on. After I informed the Council, the FOTC, if not the whole City, I had every intention to do everything I could to fulfill the expectation I strived to keep alive in mind. This war would be put to an end, and I wanted to be there to see what true peace looked like.

Thinking passed the time quickly, and before I knew it, the shadows scrambled to their nooks when the light of falling daylight illuminated the inner hull with a radiant orange, blinding Lukos and me as we stepped out of the passenger bay. When our helpful escort ship vanished into the sky, we were met with a company of numerous people. Unable to distinguish faces or figures well through the glare of the sunset, I squinted at approximately a dozen of them. It wasn't until one light body struck me and wrapped her arms around me more tightly than I had ever felt, did I know Selana was one of the attendees. My weapons slung on my back clattered as she clung around my waist. Holding my helmet in my left hand, I felt my chest shudder with relief as I pulled her as close as I could with my right hand and sunk my face into the side of her neck. When I felt her warm tears flow down my own, she spoke through stifled cries, "Thank you for coming back to me."

I didn't answer initially, but still held the embrace's close touch, "I need to talk to you. It's urgent." Interrupted, we were approached by the others in wait.

"Guardians Katenos and Chorvo," Councilman Herpeton announced firmly. "It's good to see you back home and mostly unharmed. Come, we must discuss your disappearance immediately."

Selana reluctantly pulled herself away from me, but kept her frame wrapped under my arm as she faced the High Council and their security detail. Turning away from us with their guard following closely behind prompted my team and me to follow with two escorts bringing up the rear. Guided through the Tower's base floors for almost ten minutes, we found ourselves entering a secure and private sector patrolled by even more security. Entering the conference room after the High Council members, I was met with the sight of the FOTC Command generals seated around a semicircular desk crafted from a heavy hardwood. It towered above us on an elevated section of the floor while multiple guards stood imposingly between us and the City's leadership.

"Fireteam Shachal," Supreme General Eythan Dunatos acknowledged.

"Supreme General, sir," I answered with a firm nod at attention.

The High Council members took their places on the other half of the desk and all ten officials exchanged brief glances across the table before General Thusio Qorban cleared his throat and interlocked his fingers, "Guardians Katenos and Chorvo, you stand guilty of acting without clearance from your superiors. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

I restrained from expressing the frustration I felt toward General Qorban's tone, "There is no excuse for our disobedience, sir. As acting team leader, I gladly take full responsibility for my team's actions."  
"Albeit it true that you are the team leader, we know you and Lukos Chorvo weren't the only Guardians that acted with disregard toward your superiors. Where is Commander Sideros?" Councilman Hodego Polemos grunted, peering at Lukos and me with disdain.

"I am not entirely sure what has happened to Commander Sideros, Councilman. During our last contact, we were retreating from enemy pursuit within the House of Anguish's battleship. When the Fallen Honor Guard began to intercept us, Commander Sideros stayed behind to hold them off as we escaped. I can't account for his status afterward. He had cut all communication lines after ensuring regrouping was an impossibility."

Noticing Councilman Chanan Manda's solemn gaze drop low, I knew for some of those present, the implication of Sideros' fate wasn't just an obligatory concern, but losing a Vanguard in such a manner sent a terrible message, no matter how much you wanted to find a silver lining.

"So a Vanguard has been killed in action. For what?" Brigadier General Tipharah Khaza snapped.

I sighed, but felt a faint groan slip through. I knew stating our original objective would incriminate Sideros' honor, but I felt impatient eyes burning holes through my skull, "Retaliation, ma'am, for Vanguard Kaeneth Atos' death on Mars."

"You are aware that such tactless actions are looked down upon in the FOTC, don't you, Guardian Katenos?"

"I do, ma'am."

"What punishment do you believe is suitable to pass for your team?" Major General Elpizo Pistos asked with a prolonged sigh, burying half of his scornful face in his palm.

"Sir, I-"

"Is a punishment truly necessary for these soldiers demonstrating their loyalty to their commanding officer?" Councilman Manda protested, looking down the table to his colleague. "If one were to think that Commander Sideros gave them the order to assist him in striking back at the Cabal and Fallen, we couldn't blame Guardians Katenos and Chorvo for obeying."

"You would dismiss this? Can you not grasp the gravity of this offense?!" Councilman Polemos shouted, leaning forward in his seat.

"Calm down!" General Duantos commanded. "I agree with Councilman Manda. In part. A fitting disciplinary act would be best judged if we were to discern the status of Commander Sideros. It would be then, if his condition puts you in direct command, Guardian Katenos, that the full responsibility of this disobedience would land squarely on your shoulders."

"Understood, sir."

A brief hush befell the room before Councilman Naros Herpeton cleared his throat, "Forgive me, but I find myself perplexed, Fireteam Shachal. You cooperated with Commander Sideros to retaliate against the Cabal fortress in the Buried City on Mars. We know you secured a Falcon M-SA class transport, and the latter portion of your rogue operation took place on a Fallen battleship, but when you were retrieved by a fireteam returning from a patrol in Earth's Wilderness, the Falcon was nowhere to be seen. How did you manage to return to Earth without it?"

I didn't want to disclose this information, but I should have expected trust and loyalty wasn't in question for those that didn't know someone in this room was corrupt, and I couldn't have afforded to request Guardians I didn't know to keep such vital information a secret. Realizing too long of a delay in answering would appear to suggest my lying, I decided to only give them a half truth, "In a previous tour to Mars, we encountered an Outcast Exo who had the ability to create portals permitting travel through space interdimensionally. We encountered him again on the Fallen battleship and he teleported us back to Earth where we were able to transmit a distress signal."

"And why was this Exo onboard this Fallen vessel?" Councilman Helios Kaiah inquired with a surprisingly harsh glare set on us.

"He wasn't always aboard it, sir, but I didn't have time to determine his reasons."

"Sounds suspect to me," he retorted.

"With all due respect, Councilman Kaiah, if he had an agenda against the City, he wouldn't have helped us escape."

His glare contorted into a grimace of derision, "I didn't say I suspected your friend of treachery."

I quieted at his accusation and ceased communication, witnessing Selana tense up with confusion and fear at the side of the room. Councilwoman Arana Shomah shook her head and pleaded with Selana's father, "Calm down, Helios. Such a weighty allegation shouldn't be made with such haste or disregard for investigation." He simply persisted to stare at me with a fiery hatred pouring out from his eyes.

"Indeed, my friend," Councilman Herpeton urged as well, nodding in agreement with her suggestion. "Forgive him, Fireteam Shachal. It is a stressful time, as you all know, and as much as I despise carrying out correctional action, a punishment is necessary to retain the image of responsibility and honor we uphold here in the City. In light of the possibility that you were permitted to act as you did by order of Commander Sideros, I will support a lighter sentence for your team. You will not face suspension, but we must ground your ship and monitor your activity here within the City until further notice. Too much is at stake, and every soldier counts during these tumultuous circumstances. I hope you understand this is for the best."

My heart sank at the news that we wouldn't be able to pursue the mission of priority given to us by the Messenger, but I knew I couldn't share that information with the High Council or FOTC for risk of exposing our plans to resist. I had already begun thinking of new ways we could act accordingly.

"Are we all in agreement?" he asked his associates, all of which responded with their own gestures and words of approval. After the gavel struck the table, Lukos and I stood in silence amidst the departing participants. When I proceeded to follow suit and turned toward the door, I watched Selana and her father in a one-sided conversation, his angered opinions restrained by whispers and expressions of disfavor. Observing the curious spectacle, my gaze was met by both of them. Helios glared at me generously before disappearing from my sight. Selana, on the other hand, bore a saddened expression before she vanished as well. Once all of the City's officials and their guards were gone, Lukos and I parted ways without exchanging any words.

Upon exiting, I was approached by a normally unusual party, but in light of the debrief that had just concluded, it didn't seem as odd as it typically would have been in other circumstances. Helios stood at the base of the Tower's main entrance steps with two guards standing close by. When he sensed my descent down the stairs, he turned to face me directly.

"Councilman Kaiah," I acknowledged, nodding in respect.

"Do not speak!" he hissed. "I am the one speaking here. You will listen and listen only."

My jaw clenched at the thought of what he had to say to me, but I knew it didn't concern something I was going to like. Complying with his request, I didn't reply and stood still, bracing myself for his outrage.

"You and my daughter have been quite close for a long time now. I am here to officially inform you that you willcease _all_ contact with her indefinitely from this moment forward. Defy this demand, and I will have you suffer a far worse sentence than the one just passed. Do I make myself clear?"

He only received silence and an unwavering gaze.

"I won't lose my only daughter to an accursed man like yourself. The Katenos name brings about more death than the name Shachal does. I will do everything in my power to remove her from her station and place her elsewhere where she is safe and far from both omens."

When he put his back to mine and departed, I blinked and began to breathe unsteadily. With my heart burdened with more than what I started it with today, I returned to my barracks, averse and slow, even though the air's bite was cold and harsh on my skin.

* * *

Inundated with so much knowledge in a single day, I didn't notice the night grow so late so swiftly. I had been sitting on my plain furniture, almost as if hypnotized by the host of thoughts and threats terrorizing me. It didn't matter what I tried to do. There was no escaping them. As I thought, I listened to my quiet, shallow breaths fill the emptiness around me. For hours, likely, I continued in this manner, staring into space, completely detached from the time ticking away.

Suddenly, a ring disturbed this cycle. I wasn't entirely sure I heard it and simply looked at my home's door, and a second ring followed, the indication I was waiting for to dismiss my uncertainty. Pulling myself up, I approached and undecidedly activated the voice control.

"Yes?"

_"It's Selana."_

Dropping my head with my hand hovering over the lock, I contemplated opening it. I could tell when a threat was idle, and her father's wasn't. But I had thought long about that as well, and I knew either way I wouldn't see her anymore. So I unlocked it and let the door slide into the wall, opening up my abode for her to enter. She stood beyond it for a brief moment, the forced happiness on her face even more fleeting. Gesturing for her to come in, I remained at the door for a time after she walked to the center of the room and looked around.

"You still haven't done anything with the place," she chuckled lightly, avoiding eye contact.

I was leaning against my residence's door as I watched her stroll around the enclosure and study its ordinary features, "Just went by the essentials as always." Selana nodded while bringing herself to finally look at me. "Better take a good last look. I don't think you'll be seeing it anymore."

She sighed, but I could tell she knew there was no avoiding this dilemma, no matter how much she wanted either of us to do so, "He's scared. So is my mother. They think this post is too dangerous for someone like me to be involved with."

"You're more qualified than anyone else I can think of. I remember the day I met you, I learned you didn't have any experience whatsoever. No one would be able to tell today... But your parents are entitled to be worried and you should respect their decisions."

I watched her shake her head and sigh, "I know."

Inhaling deeply, I choked on my subsequent thought, "You should go home. It's late."

"I don't want to," she whispered, sitting on my couch, staring at the floor.

"Selana, you'd be safer-"

"Did I ever finish telling you about the Awoken?" she interrupted, ignoring my request.

"I don't believe so," I said, resting my head back on the door.

"I remember that morning," Selana laughed. "We were having breakfast and Kaeneth showed up before I could finish telling you about them. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I wanted to tell you the rest."

"Why not?"

"Because I was scared. Scared that it would push you away."

I wanted to ask her why she would be afraid of me doing such a thing, but I didn't want our farewell to be any harder than it was going to be and kept it to myself.

"Do you remember what I said about how Awoken were classified as a distinctly different people to humans?"

"Yes. I remember," I responded, the sorrow welling up within me growing with every resurfacing memory.

"What I didn't tell you is that it's forbidden for humans and Awoken to marry or have children together. Doing so is deemed a threat to the pedigree of mankind. If the Awoken aren't human, and human DNA is altered further from its natural order, it's considered an attack on the race itself. An attack punishable by exile. The Awoken are taught this alone and are expected to enforce and remain forever accountable to it."

Understanding why she feared telling me came easily. Again, this information was like another frontline pressed against me, eager to put me into a corner where I could become overwhelmed with the onslaught of my intangible enemies trying to defeat me. At the moment, it felt like they were winning. In light of this truth, I didn't want to risk her welfare to satisfy my desire to be with her. "All the more reason for us to stop this, isn't it?"

"I don't accept it. I've tried countless times to see myself as someone different than you. At first, I wasn't positive. But over time I could see the emotion in your eyes, and it felt familiar. Your heartbeat even. It all felt the same as what I held onto. It was then I knew the only difference between us was the color of my skin, eyes, and hair. I came to appreciate that we weren't different at all, and it became easier for me to accept how I felt about you."

"Selana," I began, fighting the urge to tell the truth, "I don't love you."

The last time I had seen the smile she wore on her face was the day I first saw her in the _Volframio's_ hangar. It was as if she was looking right through me; as if I was transparent and anything I tried to conceal was vainly hidden.

"I know what you're trying to do. It's not going to work."

"So you would take that risk?"

"My life is probably half over if I live long, Tharsos." I furrowed my eyebrow with bewilderment. "One of the worst effects the Traveler's radiation had on the first Awoken was overpowering the immune system and general lifespan of subjects who suffered from overexposure. To this day, that is a reality Awoken have to live with. Reaching fifty years of age is considered very fortunate. In rare cases like my father's, one might last another ten years if they're lucky, but most Awoken die of old age in their mid to late forties... I'd rather live just one day of happiness than live long years without. Exiled or not, I'd rather spend one last night with you than another twenty years alone. That risk is worth more to me than my life."

Selana had risen from her seat and approached me with calm and carefully chosen footsteps before stopping mere inches from me. Her soft hands massaged my own before we met each other for a kiss neither of us wanted to die soon.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked resting her forehead on mine, although her tone suggested a lack of interest.

"It can wait," I answered, kissing her again.

When her arms wrapped around my neck, I slowly ran my palms down the backs of her thighs and lifted her up. We continued to keep our kiss eternal as I carried her to my bedroom and gently set her down back down on my bed.

Through the darkest and coldest of nights I had ever breathed through, I never felt more alive and vulnerable as our hands caressed each other's bodies in the arms of shadows. In the throes of passion, I felt as if I could see her heart, and she mine. Never before had I been more sure of my affections for her, and never more than before was I able to care about my desires over the needs of the many. Severed from our fears and doubts, Selana and I indulged in a pure and intimate expression of our love for each other, speaking only to one other from our hearts, words unneeded.

The night was long, and for a few hours before sunrise, Selana slept in my arms, both of us content and comforted beyond describing, her scent pleasant and sweet. Holding her closely with my hands around her waist, my head lied just behind hers and I counted the number of tender breaths she took there before she broke the tranquil silence that befriended us a short time ago.

"Are you asleep?"

"No," I replied quietly.

"Why not?" she inquired, rolling over to face me.

I carried my hand up the smooth rise of her hip and rubbed it gingerly as I gazed into her eyes, "I don't want to miss any of this. Not a second."

Selana smiled and inched herself closer to my chest, "Could you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"I know you don't like making promises. I know why you don't. You're afraid you'll betray them like you did with your father and brother. But could you make an exception for me tonight?"

Hesitant, I debated on whether or not to appease her wish. Frankly, I was terrified of vowing anything, but I knew we shared a mutual sensation of safety with each other, and I knew that all of this time, regardless of my wanting, I was her stronghold as much as she was my haven of solace. "Yes."

"Promise me you won't let me go. Not again."

I placed my forefinger under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet mine, her eyes of ethereal silver seizing the moonlight that broke through my window, it powerless to their hold. Kissing her again, I answered in the only way I knew how, "Never again."


	31. Chapter 31: Severed

Chapter 31: Severed

If it were any other day, I would have relished in the tranquility stirring comfortably in the City. For such an active place at the edge of the world, peace and quiet were rare commodities. But today wasn't any other day. Neither were the last eight that seemed to pass in at least twice the amount of time as usual. The leadership's ruling was understated. Despite being told we would still carry out duties within the City, no commands were given since. We lingered, and we did so separately. I hadn't seen Lukos since the debrief over a week ago, and I had only crossed paths with Selana once since she had stayed at my quarters, all for the purpose of keeping others oblivious to our relationship's state.

Spending yet another day under a completely still atmosphere, all I could actually see were the leadership's monitors spying on my every move. I had frequently slipped through their nets of observation, but they were relentless in following their orders, and it was only a matter of time before they found me again. I could only assume my teammates were being watched by these hawks as well. It appeared as if we were more like prisoners with the City's Wall serving as our bars and our unwelcome company our chains. Selana was more than likely observed the closest lately, seeing as how her parents allowed her little freedom away from their estate, with her leash growing shorter every passing day.

All the while mulling over this unfortunate scenario during these dire circumstances, I sat at the far side of the barrack's modest stairway and I watched my tails attentively. They tried to be discreet, but I caught fleeting glances behind shadows and objects enough to know there were at least half a dozen of them studying my every action, maybe more. I wondered how much personnel was left to supervise our ship's hangar. It was at times like these I wished Petros wasn't relieved from our care. I knew he could be of invaluable assistance at the moment.

Such inopportune conditions prevented me from exploring avenues to get us to pursue our goal further. Time was of the essence and there was hardly any left before it was too late to act. So I did what I could. My thoughts were safely sheltered and I pondered what our plan was going to be. The memory of the Messenger's urgency was still fresh, and all I could think of was the serenity I was surrounded by; about how no one would live to see such a day again if we dithered around waiting for the City to be sacked by the entirety of the Fallen and most of the Cabal forces. The nature of that potential outcome sent chills up my spine. We would be undoubtedly finished if we didn't strike first-if we didn't hit them hard and fast.

What could I do with all contact from the only people I could trust severed? No matter what strategy I could create, I knew we weren't going to get anywhere if we couldn't get to a ship without facing insurmountable resistance. The last thing we needed were dogs at our heels, and even though I knew our window to do what we had to would be small and its timeframe would be miniscule, I had to believe it would be enough for us to keep a strong lead over whoever would be sent to bring us back to the City. Every possibility's key was the same: Petros.

Narrowing down my objective, I had to find a way to reach him. These spies weren't going to just let me walk right up to his vault without their knowing, and they would secure him to determine the content of my message before he could even fulfill it. It was time to play a game of deceit, and there was only one person I knew of that was cunning enough to help me pull it off.

* * *

Peering out of the obscured attic window of an abandoned building in the slums, Lukos studied his followers from above with amusement. Smiling and shaking his head at the sight of their failed attempt to pursue him from a distance, all he could produce was a silent chuckle in the stuffy space that concealed his whereabouts. He thought that whoever these people were, they were poorly chosen to watch their targets. He had been living in the slums for years, possessing the territorial advantage, but even if he hadn't, no half-assed efforts from inexperienced people such as these were going to come close to catching him.

While he observed his tails continuing their futile and helpless search in the multitude of civilians with repeated circular turns, Lukos saw Tharsos walking through the crowd at a leisurely pace. He appeared to be searching for someone though, and with a quick judgment based on location, Lukos knew it was him his teammate was looking for. Having already come to the conclusion that Tharsos was being followed as well, he didn't like the idea of so many spies lurking in the area. With a short, high-pitched whistle directed at the room's exit, a little boy, skinny and grungy, answered his summon.

"Raise some hell," Lukos commanded with a whisper.

Without indication or sign or acknowledgement, the child disappeared and the Hunter took another look out of the filthy window before timing his leave. As he left the cramped enclosure and its musty air, he listened to the muffled commotion from outside grow more intense and hectic. By the time he reached the ground floor, the thin street only wide enough to accommodate pedestrians was akin to rapids in a high-walled ravine. He barely managed to squeeze himself through the door and into the wild fray. Albeit tediously, Lukos crept his way through the dispute to Tharsos who had been studying the focal point of the scene from afar.

With a firmly placed hand on his shoulder, Lukos pulled Tharsos back toward the building he had just exited. "Don't follow too closely, but get out of their sight before everyone disperses," he told him.

Tharsos complied without response, and as Lukos led the way to escape from distrusted eyes, his teammate followed suit five paces behind. Just before the quarrel escalated to proportions higher than Lukos expected, both he and his comrade reached their destination and slipped through the shadows to the furthest corner of the dilapidated structure.

"I see you got similar company on your ass," he grunted as he turned and leaned against the decrepit wall of a backroom.

"You orchestrated that?" Tharsos asked.

"Sometimes the people here can be over-enthused, but they're dependable. Especially when it concerns disrupting the plans of uptown sons of bitches that spit on their faces day in and day out."

Tharsos shifted his attention to the side, "I need your help. We need to get to Petros."

Lukos scoffed with an abrupt laugh, "Why do we need to get to Petros?"

"Because we need to finish this fight. It's not going to wait for us to get back in good favor with the Council and FOTC. If we don't act now, we'll be dead within a month."

Silence befell the Hunter, "I get that, and you should know better than anyone by now that I want to put my boot in those bastards' mouths, but getting to Petros isn't gonna be easy. You do know that right?"

"I do, but it doesn't change the fact that he has high level security clearances and some of the best hacking capabilities in the City. We're going to need that to access the _Volframio_ and get back out there."

"Yeah, but we're going to need that to get to him too. I can be unseen whenever I want, but I can't walk through walls. How do you propose we bust him out?"

"Like you said, we're going to need someone who can enter the mainframe and work around the security firewalls to free him."

Both Tharsos and Lukos shot surprised gazes toward the room's entrance, a shapely silhouette now filling its frame.

"I can do that," Selana said, stepping forward.

"How did you get here? Were you followed?" Lukos blurted, walking swiftly toward the front of the building to determine the answer to his question on his own.

"No. I have my own methods of evasion. And detection," she replied, withdrawing a small handheld device that featured tracking software on the screen. "Forgive me for not getting your consent, but I installed trackers in your composite under-armors. When I saw both of your signals converging, I made my way here."

"How did you elude the scouts on you?" Tharsos inquired with curiosity.

"You would be surprised how well technology can avert attention or halt pursuit, and manipulating such basic ones is effective in giving me enough time to slip through their fingers," she smiled.

"And your family?"

Her smile faded, "One way or another, they will have to respect my decision. I'm a part of this team and always will be. Nothing is going to tear me away from it, so where you go, I go as well."

"Alright then. Where do we start?" Lukos asked with his return, content with his checking of Selana's trail. Meeting eye contact with her, Tharsos' confidence arose with the assurance her expression bore.

* * *

Night had fallen. Never more than now had I welcomed a starless night. We were even graced with a new moon. This night, the darkness was our greatest ally. Considering the scouts posted to watch us hadn't had a lead in hours now, I knew our advantage couldn't be much more beneficial than it already was. Awaiting Selana's instruction in the shadows, I studied the facility that housed decommissioned Ghosts. With a few earlier bypasses, Selana had learned every detail regarding his confinement. Secured behind the most airtight defense in the building, we had our work cut out for us, but unfortunately for the guards posted here, we were prepared.

"Report," I whispered softly into the channel.

_"Nearly processed. Sending,"_ Selana answered mere seconds later.

Almost immediately afterward, the four guards posted at the security vault's entrance received their falsified report detailing a suspicious disturbance at the facility's secondary entrance on the other side of the grounds. Following protocol, they did as expected and split into halves, one of which left to investigate the account believed to have been sent by the automated defense system guarding the interior and exterior of the structure.

_"Calculating their pace and the least amount of time given to investigate, we have approximately five minutes to get in and out. Every move must be flawless,"_ Selana advised.

"You're up, Lukos," I ordered.

_"On it,"_ he replied, his silhouette even invisible to my eyes. Even watching and waiting for his dispatching of the other two guards, I was surprised by the sheer precision he possessed in disabling them without making the quietest of sounds. Accounting for the time we couldn't afford to waste, I approached the entrance, Selana meeting me along the way. While Lukos and I kept watch, Selana made short work of the access panel originally preventing us from gaining clearance. As soon as the lock disengaged, we were inside and closed the door behind. Upon first glance at our surroundings, her skill in multitasking and extending her invading defense systems had obviously improved. The power in the immediate area had been deactivated, just enough so that we could utilize our advantage all the while keeping complete power failure unbeknownst to the personnel on duty or civilians in the vault's vicinity.

Without uttering a word, Selana simply began running toward our objective with us following her every step as closely and silently as possible. Having acquired patrol routes and shift records, we chose our movements carefully. Before we knew it, we were near our objective, indicated by Selana's deceleration. Even so, I knew our time was short, and the seconds continued to tick away.

Nodding at Lukos, the most risky move of our trespass had been signaled. With both of us storming around the corner simultaneously, I felt a vacuum pop with air swiftly filling it next to me when he blinked forward and without their knowing, sabotaged their firearms and proceeded to render one unconscious. The guard's partner shifted his footing, alarmed by the ambush. With his back to me, I disarmed him and cinched an inescapable choke around his neck. Within seconds of futile struggling, my weaker adversary had succumbed to an unconsciousness of his own. As soon as I set his body on the floor, I turned to see Selana already hacking into the most difficult firewall the vault had to offer.

The seconds felt like minutes, and the anticipation of either breaching Petros' prison or being captured by an excessive resistance had my nerves aflame. Although virtually soundless, the rapid clicks her commands produced had me on edge. It had been a long time since any kind of scenario resulted in an advantageous result for us. Luckily for us, we were graced with such a situation when the vault doors' hydraulics launched them to the side, greeting our eyes with the sight of a dark circular room, its heart illuminated solely by the security field enveloping our stationary Ghost. I joined Selana in approaching Petros while Lukos melded with the shadows, observing the connected passage, an invisible sentinel.

He was unusually still within his prison. "Is he conscious?" I asked my companion.

"It's difficult to determine from initial appearances. After I disengage his restraints, we'll have a better idea."

"Get him out as soon as possible. We're overstaying our welcome."

"Shouldn't take more than sixty seconds," she replied whilst working on her objective. "And Tharsos... there might be some side effects breaking him out like this."

I took due note of her concerned tone with worry of my own, but breathed deeply with my response, "I understand, but time's not on our side to do this with every precaution in effect. We'll do what we can after we're clear of this place."

With a series of modest audio tones sounding from Selana's hacking finally concluding, the hemispherical energy field containing Petros dissipated and the room darkened with its light source diminished. Waiting in anticipation, Selana and I stared at the Ghost's darkened shell rest motionless on the small pedestal. To our relief, his own illumination flickered and a soft white luminescence grew stronger as he floated from his perch.

"Guardians...," he mumbled. "I owe you my humblest appreciation for waking me. I still haven't had my fill being exposed to consciousness after the fifteen year decommission I had slept through not long ago."

"It's good to see you as well, old friend, but we don't have time to exchange our greetings," I said. "Can you dematerialize in your current state?"

Without speaking, Petros simply reverted to his alternative form, to which I carefully grabbed him and secured him to my belt. Hesitation the furthest thing from our minds, we set off as quickly as we could and as if guided by an unfailing beacon, no obstacle blocked our escape. It began to appear to me that hope was on our side this time. No sooner had I welcomed it, because I knew we needed it more than ever before. As we made our concealed approach to the Tower, the last leg of our departure was in session.

"We can't go through the front," Lukos whispered when we reached our destination's vicinity. "Security won't take well to seeing us in the Tower, and it'll be especially worse seeing you two together."

I acknowledged and agreed with his mentioning of our predicament. Selana and I seen together was a guaranteed method to ensure witnesses' suspicions were put to rest. As we observed the nearby base of the Tower sprawled out before us, I sensed my teammates' discomfort. However, I began to feel grateful for my good memory. There was a point of entry that had fewer eyes watching it. In fact, it was an entrance that would take us much closer to our objective than the main entrance could.

"There's a service elevator used to move heavy loads up the Tower in the subfloors at its sides."

Selana smiled, "I remember it."

"I won't ask," Lukos jested with a murmur, near instantly bolting across the street with us following suit as closely as we could. "Lead the way, big guy."

Were we not acting against orders, I would have lent criticism toward the lacking security protocols around the Tower's flanks, but in light of our rogue activities, I was thankful no one ever acted toward such correction with high regard to protecting the transport lifts.

Again, the darkness proved to be our ally in the subfloor just as well as it was at our other points of interest. If there was one matter that did prove to work against our task, it was the speed of our ascent. I knew it was only a matter of time before the data vaults were going to be investigated and Petros' empty storage would be discovered. Once reported, it wouldn't take long for the primary suspects to be determined and sought out. While the elevator creaked and groaned, maintaining its sluggish velocity, I wondered when the manhunt for us would begin. I could only hope it wouldn't start before we reached the _Volframio_.

Petros was particularly quiet during our trek since retrieving him. I didn't know what securing and decommissioning Ghosts entailed, but whatever he had been put through, the effects were still obviously present. A lot rode on him to get us beyond the Wall. The last thing I wanted was to get so close and fail to accomplish what we risked so much for.

At long last, I felt the elevator decelerate tenuously and under my feet the locking mechanisms engaged, rocking the lift's base to the side where it met its rest. The doors parted and open to us was our vessel's hangar, the fore half darkened, blanketing the ship beneath.

"We're here," Lukos exhaled. "Can't believe it. No guards?"

I, too, thought it was odd there weren't any sentries posted here, but decided it was best not to dwell on it here. "We're not out of the woods yet. Petros is the only one available to us with the authorization capable of removing the grounding restriction set on the _Volframio_," I countered reluctantly, waiting to see what kind of reply I would get from the Ghost. My team shared the same reaction and waited just next to the safe clearance zone by the ship's now sealed hatch. Petros hadn't answered, and an uncomfortably long period of time passed following my indirect request.

Selana began to speak but her statement was cut short when the _Volframio_ hummed to life and the hatch whirred, opening the passenger hold up to us. Though silent, we all breathed sighs of relief, knowing our efforts weren't vain.

"Engage flight systems," I ordered my comrades, secretly enjoying the nostalgic clack of my boots on the vessel's finely grated floor. Selana and Lukos immediately proceeded to the cockpit to initiate takeoff. Manually sealing the hatch behind me first, I entered the armory to the missed sight of our weapons securely fastened to their mounts. Mere moments from setting out to rendezvous with the Messenger, my heart raced with anxiety and my blood pulsed through my body vigorously. Admittedly, I expected this crazed attempt to escape from the City to fail. I was surprised to see the result a success. Surprised, as well as suspicious. Regardless of my new reservations on the outcome of our operation, we still had to leave. There was still work to be done before we could rest.

"Tharsos, come here!" Selana called from the bridge.

With a few long strides, I found myself standing within the doorway watching both of my teammates listening to a monotonous series of regular blips sound from the controls.

"What is it?"

"A distress signal. Sideros' signature." Her hopeful gaze was glued to my own. Lukos remained quiet in the copilot seat, his expression bearing disbelief.

_"Link me to the _Volframio_, Guardian Katenos,"_ Petros said weakly. Mere seconds after releasing him from my care, he materialized with a faint flash and gradually descended to the port designed for him to directly link to the vessel.

"We're in agreement then?" I asked my team. Their answers lied in their determined visages. "Okay, lock in on his coordinates. We're getting him back tonight."

Without warning, my comrades understood the severity of my command and shot out of the hangar at high velocity, veering toward Sideros' bearing. Resolved to complete our current mission, I returned to the armory and began preparations for all of us. By the time we reached our destination, all of our ordnance would be cleared for use and loaded to kill. Their baiting tactic used with Lukos was likely in effect again, and this time we would be ready to hit them harder than they ever would have anticipated from those supposed to be ambushed. The time for attrition and defense had passed. Tonight we went on the offensive. Tonight we hunted-we killed.

* * *

_"Approximately ten kilometers away from Sideros' coordinates,"_ Selana notified me.

Already equipped to the teeth myself, I stood patiently before the ship's hatch, waiting for the wind to rush against my armor when opened.

_"What is this place?"_ Lukos inquired seconds later.

_"Fallen architecture,"_ Selana answered with disappointment. _"A kind of transportable observation post perhaps."_

"Petros, can you handle operating the _Volframio_ alone?" I interrupted.

_"Yes, I can, especially if I must,"_ he replied. _"Guardians Kaiah and Chorvo, prepare yourselves."_

"Set us down just outside of the complex," I ordered, looking down at "Hail of Fire" and flicking the safety off. Behind me, Selana and Lukos checked their already loaded weapons, chambered rounds, and switched their safeties off as well, a fleeting song preceding battle ending immediately thereafter. Seconds later, the _Volframio _decelerated and feeling the stabilization turn to rotation, I waited for our descent to cease.

When the hatch lowered, a landscape of desolation greeted us. Having raced the sun here, it continued without us and the swiftly falling dusk was accompanied by approaching storm clouds swallowing up the low light on the horizon. Presented before us, an elliptical establishment of structures oriented symmetrically in all fashions lied undisturbed amidst the coming torrent.

Walking toward this outpost from one of its broader arcs, we were greeted with the centerpiece of our enemies' dark gray structures. An elevated stand illuminated with soft green lights towered above the other architecture surrounding it from a moderate distance, rugged stairs complementing its circular base. The rain's soft pattering was overcome with a downpour and all that kept our location's presence noticeable were the eerie emerald lights keeping their edges implied. Faint whispers filled my ears amidst the cry of heavy rain. My attempt to discern its location failed and raising my LMG to my shoulder, I unintentionally indicated for my team to do the same with their own firearms.

Then, out of the indistinct curtain of water, a bellow thundered. This time I was able to determine the source and peered up the pyramidal pedestal before me. A fuzzy silhouette stood proud atop it and its four arms reared out with a demand. Unseen though known to be present, I sensed Fallen troops gather from hiding and surround us, but they didn't attack. Visibility granted sight to objects only within about twenty feet. The figure in command at the top of the stand began to descend the steps closest to us. Stopping around halfway down, the generously armored Fallen commander tossed his head up with defiance and a guttural growl rolled toward us.

I could tell he wasn't Sarkaun. Rather he was likely his newly appointed Admiral. Deserving of no more attention than being alert to the Fallen's actions, I wondered where Sideros was in this place. The storm didn't give us enough time to give it a thorough look. As I let the rapid vibrations of raindrops strike my armor before being deflected, my eyes wandered in hopes of finding their prisoner. As I did, I was interrupted by the Admiral who proceeded to step down a few more times, the glow from his eyes strengthening, and spoke in his own tongue.

The translation software installed by Petros began deciphering right away. _"Predictability makes for an easy and pathetic opponent. Alas, the time for your deaths must wait but a short time. Feast your eyes on a gift to you from my Lord, Sarkaun Basan'atosh!"_

Following the interpreted speech, he threw his bulky arm forward and a dense thud struck the ground before me. The earth offered too much resistance for the package to roll, so I knelt down to adjust its position. As I cleared the thin deposits of fresh mud from the metallic surface, my mind was fuelled with disbelief. In my hand was Sideros' severed head. His eyes, which I had grown accustomed to always being alive with an intense and fiery orange were hollow and devoid of light. My body shuddered at the sight of crushed hopes and I closed my eyes.

"Tharsos, what is it?" Selana queried with her weapon at the ready.

_"I was to offer this token to you with a message, humans,"_ the Admiral barked with a twisted satisfaction. _"My Lord always finishes his kills!"_

My eyes opened with the translation's close. I felt terrifyingly numb. All I could sense was pure, unadulterated rage fuel my chest. My blood was consumed with a burning, unquenchable wrath. Adrenaline coursed through my body and I rose from my knee without a word and set my tunnel vision on the Admiral. My prey was in sight and I was going to watch how I tore him apart. I was going to see it all. The Fallen hilarity ceased when a great burst of blue flame erupted from my body, the fury within me unchained and made manifest.


	32. Chapter 32: Indignation

Chapter 32: Indignation

The gale produced by the shockwave emitting from Tharsos ravaged the earth beneath Selana's feet, and the rain-wrapped whirlwind screamed with a bone-chilling war cry as the pale blue flames licked away at the retreating darkness. As the unleashed inferno raged freely around them, she watched her and Lukos' shadows race to and fro on the ground, both of them still recoiling from the furious burst of Light released from an enraged Tharsos. Her squinting at him ceased when the source of the fiery light vanished in but a second and a roaring crash that deafened her protected ears.

Following the conflagrated specter that selected prey with frightening precision, Selana had almost forgotten that she and Lukos stood vulnerable amidst the presence of an unknown host of Fallen hostiles, but having flinched repeatedly at the agonized shrieks and howls echoing behind the gray deluge's embrace, she almost began to wonder if the manifested wrath consuming their every breath seized every care that two other threats were surrounded by their perimeter. Hypnotized by the horrific sight that charged across the battlefield, Selana wasn't sure she cared that she was encircled by foes either. Although alert and on his feet, even Lukos' gaze appeared to be drawn by the spectacle.

Tharsos, engulfed in a squall of fire and electricity, their jaws snapping like ravenous beasts, jumped from one opponent to the next with supercharged leaps propelling him forward, possessing astonishing velocities that the Fallen couldn't react well enough to. Selana had witnessed him clasp his hands on their necks and crush them with ease, using the convenient corpses as objects of a wild melee, swinging lifeless Dregs' and Raiders' bodies like limp bags of flesh and shattered bones to cripple the fleeing lines of Fallen bystanders. Despite their best efforts, not one escaped from him. Eventually the shrill sounds of their anguish overwhelmed the devastating blows' volume in the storm.

Selana cringed when one of Tharsos' punches generated a gory explosion of intestines and blood at the site of impact. Shocked to see the Titan sling the body tens of feet to his left flank and into a small crowd of Fallen soldiers, she and Lukos flinched yet again when the carcass as good as a missile detonated with a burst of arcing lightning dancing over a concussion blast residing at the center of the decimated mob. She didn't even realize that Tharsos crudely embedded one of his primed Shockwave grenades in the Vandal's gut before he threw him at his allies.

It was then a projectile seared past Selana and Lukos in the rain, and they had finally become part of the skirmish. Lukos blinked to safety, and she jumped to her right, soaring like a feather above the scene, watching the intense light enveloping Tharsos dart around the area. The image resembled that of shrouded lightning flashing across the sky behind storm clouds.

To determine the location of her targets, Selana fired a cluster of half a dozen miniature Nova Bombs below her. As expected, the explosions served as perfect flares on the surface and what victims survived from her blind attack were marked for termination. Converting her glide into an aerial assault, Selana dove toward the earth, manipulating and compressing her Nova Bombs to take the form of swords. Suffering from the sharpest of cuts by a valkyrie with surgical precision for aim, the distant Vandals' heads were lopped off and their bodies followed their descents leaving them in heaps. Feeling fatigued from the rapid succession of draining attacks, Selana leveled her flight off and slid across the mud, slowing next to Lukos who had just blinked again into a party of Raiders and a Captain, where dense golden streaks zigzagged through them, raw slices from extended knives' edges reducing them into dismembered halves of eviscerated corpses. Once over a dozen severed torsos and limbs hit the ground, Lukos reappeared next to her, his revolver splitting the air next to them upon reemergence. Two more charging Fallen were felled, wisps of white ether vanishing within the downpour's drumming barrage.

Excluding the pounding rain's rhythm calling incessantly into their ears, a lull followed the fight that just concluded near Selana and Lukos. Even the dash of sapphire light that emanated from Tharsos was unseen around them and the Fallen cries of pain subsided entirely. Calmed near the base of the pyramidal structure, the Guardians gradually lowered their weapons when they couldn't sense any sign of hostile presence. But when a petrifying scream sounded from above, they promptly raised their firearms, ready to fire. The screeching borne of excruciating pain did not cease, even as the Fallen Admiral tumbled down the steel steps of the structure. Scrambling away, the panicked creature couldn't have cared less that Selana and Lukos gated his futile attempt to escape. Lukos lifted his sidearm and aimed it at the pathetic sight, but before he even placed his finger before the trigger, a blinding light smashed into the ground in front of them, forcing his line of sight away. Tharsos had slammed his foot down on the lone Admiral's back, halting his crawl. The terrified alien groaned as the Titan's boot dug deeper into his spine, but that was not the extent of the suffering he was due.

In a flash, Tharsos had taken hold of the monster's helmet and pulled his head backward. Wrenching the accessory from his face, Tharsos' fingers crept forward, finding irremovable grips in the Admiral's eye sockets; one for each finger. The gruesome howl that torment produced made Selana's body shudder with dread. Removing his heel from the creature's torso, their comrade threw their enemy's back to the ground and sunk his left hand deep into the Fallen's upper torso, using the collarbone as leverage. Selana had never heard anything more haunting as Tharsos proceeded to pull at the Admiral's head, and the snapping and popping of his breaking spine joined in the harrowing orchestra. The latter soon replaced the agonized cries completely, and in a fierce display of strength, Tharsos tore the head and some of the spine from the creature's body, his roar resulting in Selana and Lukos slowly stepping backwards.

Still tightly secured in his hand, Selana listened to the Fallen's skull crack and splinter as Tharsos squeezed it, hardly muffled by the flesh still covering the bone. Breathing heavily, the Titan's worked diaphragm matched the tempo set by the thunderstorm's lament.

"Tharsos?" she whispered gently, almost drowned out by the powerful roll of distant thunder.

Lukos' grip on "Huckleberry" tightened enough to know his knuckles were white underneath his gloves. Taking notice of his increased tension, Selana slowly urged for him to calm himself with an open hand facing him.

The Titan's exhalations regulated and without warning, he turned away, dropping the Admiral's torn head at his feet. Selana just stared at the motionless man stand beneath the torrent.

"We need to keep moving. He wouldn't have wanted us to stop with the knowledge of his death," he finally spoke, his voice stern and clear.

Lukos sighed quietly, comforted to know madness hadn't consumed his friend and he was lucid during his rampage fuelled by indignation. "Do you want to find his remains?" the Hunter inquired, holstering his sidearm and flexing his cramped fingers.

Silence was Tharsos' answer, at least initially. Selana and Lukos exchanged long glances before he spoke, "I would if time was on our side, but we don't even know if they're here. In either case, Sideros would be against it. If he could say anything now, he would tell us that he's no more and recovering a corpse would be a poor exchange of time we can't afford to lose."

The Hunter nodded solemnly before shifting his footing and scanning the battlefield. Selana hadn't removed her unwavering gaze from Tharsos' back. Her heart ached at the sight, and she yearned to be able to take his pain away. Knowing him, she guessed he was in the midst of disarrayed thoughts centered around blame and self-appointed contempt. The thing she hated most was that she couldn't do anything to ease his mind. It was an internal battle he had been waging with himself for years, and as much as she longed for the day she wouldn't ever see it again, Selana had to come to a mockery of peace with the fact that today wasn't going to be that day.

"Selana," he began. "Call in Petros, please. We need to go before reinforcements arrive."

"Where are you going?" the Warlock asked with concern as he knelt down to the wet ground.

He stood, picking the Fallen's head back up and looked to the peak of the tallest Fallen structure as blood and water dripped from the broken vertebrae, "To send a message."

* * *

Their destination was surely not far away, and as the _Volframio_ ascended from the eerily serene site of their battle, Selana stared at the indistinct figure of the Admiral's body resting against the stairway, his subordinates piled in a still mound ten feet before him. His head alone lied on the edge of the highest step. With the rainfall subsiding, she found herself looking away from the scene and studying the unspoken Titan sitting next to her. His focus was held by the opposite side of the hold, or that's how it seemed.

"You can't hold yourself accountable for Sideros' death," Selana said, breaking the silence and attempting to bring Tharsos' troubled mind to peace. "He knew what he was doing when he stood between you and the enemy."

"I'm supposed to accept the fact that my father died in vain? That he sacrificed himself for Sideros only to have him die now. And for what?" His tone was cold and harsh, but it was only imaginable that inside, Tharsos was a wreck.

Selana's gaze was tugged at from the floor. Blinking her fresh tears away, she reached for his clenched fist, trying her best to wrap her fingers around it, "For you." The Titan didn't answer, but Selana found a morsel of comfort when his fist relaxed slightly, "Maybe this is what Sideros was saved for - to help you and Lukos escape from death."

Lukos, across from them, simply listened without speaking, occasionally setting his wandering eyes to the open hatch and the low whistle accompanying the image of the darkened landscape, humid and bathed in blood.

A long pause ensued, followed by Tharsos leaning his head back, "Then the least we can do is ensure Sideros didn't die in vain either." Without giving either of his teammates a chance to speak more, he left the passenger hold, disappearing in the armory. Selana's ushered eyes broken from their beacon wandered the room as well before finding Lukos.

"He's gonna be alright," he told her, his voice possessing nothing less than certain reassurance. "I got his back, no matter what. You have my word."

Grateful for her helmet's visor hiding her face, Selana felt a warm tear trickle down her cheek, responding with a series of short nods and a stifled cry, "Thank you, Lukos."

Although effective in communicating essential details, Petros' voice too held a measure of sorrow they had only heard once before, when Kaeneth's passing had struck its blow, _"Our contact's signature has established a signal. ETA, four minutes."_ The communication's channel was cut off almost as soon as he had opened it. It wasn't hard for Selana to sympathize with the Ghost. Even though he wasn't a Guardian, his contributions to Shachal were momentous, and now he was the last one left. With that thought, she was forced to face the truth of their status as a team now. There were no more individuals of grizzled experience and extensive wisdom to help guide them. With Sideros and Kaeneth gone, they were alone too.

* * *

Grass took the likeness of a pond that a pebble had just fallen into. With ripples induced from the _Volframio's_ thrusters waving on the surface, I stepped onto the earth, looking up to see Theron and the Messenger next to each other, waiting for us. Lukos and Selana joined me a mere moment after I started walking toward our acquaintances. Undisturbed by the departing vessel, the Messenger opened, "Fireteam Shachal, you have arrived. Were there impositions preventing your coming?"

"The details aren't important. What matters is we're here now," I answered, stopping before them, when Theron started to observe us.

"My friend, you have just come from a battle, have you not?"

"We're fine, Theron."

Resetting my attention on the Messenger, I noticed she was looking upon Selana with a hint of curiosity pouring from her eyes; something I hadn't seen from an Exo before. "Selana Kaiah," she surmised.

"Yes," Selana confirmed graciously. "You must be the Messenger Tharsos mentioned."

"Indeed, I am. I must say I am honored to meet you."

"I am flattered. I must ask you to forgive me: why?" she asked in return.

The Messenger eyed me immediately after, "Your friends did not tell you?"

"Speaking openly in the City runs too much risk," Lukos responded in my defense. "We couldn't afford to let sensitive information get into the wrong hands."

"Ah, yes, I understand. I take it one of the impositions that delayed your return to me was the betrayer."

A reply wasn't necessary. I simply watched her return to Selana, "Then it is time we explained it to you. The significance of what has been happening to you, and the visions plaguing your thoughts."

Setting a quickly passing look on me, I watched Selana's faint surprise return to the Messenger's solidified gaze, "My dreams..."

"Are more than dreams," the female Exo finished. "Tharsos told me you came into contact with a foreign vessel on Mars, and upon first meeting him, Theron had witnessed the subtle effects your touch had on you afterward; the reason for his prudently abrupt disappearance."

"The cause of these premonitions was touching that device on Mars? If that's the case, why it only affected me proves to be elusive. Others came into contact with it as well."

"Yes, but after, it secured its contents once believed they were threatened," a prompt rebuttal was made. "Subsequently, all occurrences of physical contact blocked the transfer of data by the defensive countermeasures programmed to automatically take effect if an unrecognized an unauthorized presence attempted to invade its containment."

I could tell Selana was feeling overwhelmed and isolated as the Messenger's explanation bombarded her. Lukos and I had already been informed during our first meeting with her, but I judged it best if some of the news being fed to Selana was spoken from someone she was familiar with, "The visions you told me about are fragments of that device's program."

"That can't be possible. You refer to it as if it's a digital program, but how can that kind of information be communicated with an organic mind?"

The Messenger continued, "When the Darkness must repeatedly alternate its information into different forms, it's not difficult to convert data which must be easily malleable. The Darkness was the first organism discovered to exist in a matter that is neither solid, liquid, or gas, but capable of possessing consciences artificial or organic, it must reshape its mind to match the host. It isn't digital data, but rather an adaptive intelligence that must occupy the possessed object as efficiently as possible. Think of a glass filled with water. The liquid wouldn't accurately occupy the form of the glass if it doesn't match the container's shape. Thus the Darkness must perpetually modify its information to best control the host's mental and physiological design."

"The Darkness..."

Seeing the fearful concern in her body language, I gently squeezed her shoulder, "You did get a glimpse of its plan, but you don't need to worry. It was already inside a host and wasn't in a condition capable of possessing you. You could say a portion of its thoughts leaked out and flowed through you. The dreams were just a residual effect of what was transferred."

"That brings us to our problem though," Lukos interrupted. "What its plan is."

"Correct," the Messenger acknowledged. "Tharsos shared the content of your visions with me already, Selana. All that remains is telling you what they mean, because, as you know, there appears to be no discernible sense in the pieces you did acquire." Selana just listened, daunted but patient, nevertheless. "Your people are not ignorant to the fact that the alien factions you are pitted against are threatening foes, but the truth known to only a few of you is that they are enslaved to serve the Darkness. As prizes of a former dominion over obliterated civilizations, manipulation over their surviving remnants is a undemanding task when the only options are utter extinction or fighting out of hope for a brighter future. This is the predicament the Fallen and Cabal have been faced with for centuries now. The Darkness' hold over them is powerful and only grows stronger. With time, removing it would be a nearly impossible attempt to turn the tide, but you know well enough by now that is a luxury you do not have. Especially when their aim to crush your home into fine dust is so adamant and close to fruition."

"Meaning we can't wait for retaliation, but instead have to strike first," Selana said, following the Messenger with every step.

"Yes, exactly, and you caught a glimpse of the grand scheme driving the Fallen regime closer to securing a new home falsely promised to them by the Darkness. But the deceit is perfectly concealed behind its servants' desperation. If they succeed in razing your city to the ground, a similar demise will eradicate them as well. It's cases like these that present difficult situations. It's not impossible, but stands very unlikely the Fallen or Cabal will find their salvation in this war, and if you want to live, you will need to be their executioners."

"I understand," Selana responded somberly. "How do we go about it?"

"Your comrades explained to me that your Ghost managed to acquire information from an ancient research station that disclosed the location of the Fallen fleet. Jupiter. Their current fleet is too weak and unreliable to mount an offensive on your home. Most of them are battleships, but with their confines flooded with noncombatants and weapon systems mostly inoperable, their hands have been tied. Your adversary is waiting for the resurgence of a stronger fleet of vessels designed in my time. Carefully hidden beneath the gas giant's storm-swept atmosphere by my enemy, drawing the relay securing them out of the planet's gravitational pull requires time and immense measures of power, hence the need for the portion of the Darkness fuelling the container you came into contact with - something they refer to as 'Purity's Essence'. You can be sure that they are vigilantly observing the scene until extraction is complete."

"So we need to get to Jupiter as soon as possible," I said.

"Your current issue is determining the exact location the Fallen are hiding near. With no support from the City, you have no means of learning what the actual coordinates are from patrols or surveillance ships. Even with those tools, the Fallen are carefully keeping their activity inconspicuous, that I can guarantee. The task at hand requires you to infiltrate the Fallen Lord's ship and secure data detailing their location near Jupiter."

Lukos' low head shot up, "Same ship Theron teleported us out of?"

The Messenger nodded, "The House of Anguish's Lord is the centerpiece of the Fallen unification, therefore he is most involved in their campaign and his battleship should house that information. I had wondered why that vessel was still near Earth, but based on the discovery that you fought with a Fallen troop, it's no longer a mystery. Theron will be able to take-"

_"With all due respect, I will not have Fireteam Shachal plunge back into that place and to certain death when I can provide an alternative means of extracting the data you mentioned,"_ Petros interrupted suddenly. _"A Fallen drop ship is still likely within atmosphere to recover the Fallen my Guardians dispatched earlier. Assuming they can commandeer it, I can remotely access hostile enemy communication channels, intercept, and extract the coordinates from the relaying source."_

I was somewhat shocked at his unannounced breaking of our conversation, but as resolved as I was to see this through, I had to agree that heading back into that kind of enemy territory wasn't something I was particularly excited to do. More so, I was glad to know Petros' conscience was clear, inspiring enough for me to try to do the same for the sake of those of us who still drew breath. The Messenger's expression seemed to bear one of resignation, understanding completely why our Ghost was being so cautious.

"If you possess the capability to do so, my friend," Theron answered.

_"I do. If I can help it, I will not have another Guardian from Fireteam Shachal lost to premature actions."_

I exchanged looks with Lukos, who shrugged his shoulders, "I guess that means we're going back to their little camp from earlier, big guy. Use them as bait this time though."

"Petros, come pick us up. We need to be sure to set our ambush before those bodies are retrieved."

_"Affirmative, inbound."_

"You have my best and sincerest wishes for your success, Fireteam Shachal," the Messenger announced. "The hope of saving your home and people rests in your hands, lest it will fall into the ruin your descendants suffered."

"Thank you and goodbye," I told her before approaching the descending _Volframio._

"Farewell, Guardians."

In seconds, we were airborne again and returning to our previous battlefield. Having dwelled on Selana's earlier words, I found myself somewhat at peace, or at least focused on the matter at hand. We were close. Closer than we ever had been before to foil our enemy's genocidal crusade, even if it alone was just a single part of the greater picture set against us. I had enough of defeat. We were due for a victory. One that I intended to cripple the Fallen's efforts indefinitely.

* * *

As we had left it, the establishment of Fallen architecture remained untouched and greeted us a second time. The sight of it reminded me of a life lost I hoped would endure. A life I thought could have been saved if the City hadn't impeded us. A soldier my father valued above his own life. Nearly succumbing to the disappointment residing within me, I steeled myself before it could get a strong hold on me. I had to come to grips with the fact that I couldn't do anything about Sideros, but I could still fight our enemies and his killer, an event I waited for in earnest. Sarkaun had his fill, and I was determined to see his spree forever ended.

_"Remember, you must do exactly what we did in Menia, Guardians. Connect the security spike in the communication controls on the drop ship and contact me immediately. I seriously doubt the Fallen firewalls are as advanced as the Hive's, and therefore, accessing their system should prove to be far simpler in comparison."_

"Understood," Selana confirmed, leaving our ship at my side.

"You and Lukos need to find some cover. We need to be able to strike first if we want this to work," I told her.

The Hunter departed immediately, disappearing behind the corners the small labyrinth had to offer. "Okay," Selana answered, holding my hand. Slipping the primed security spike into her slim belt, our hands didn't part until they were nearly outstretched. Watching her disappear into the arms of the dreary night first, I turned away.

Unaided by the darkened sky, the ground was still moist from the rain, and the peaceful rest of grasses bordering the collection of structures were still clung to by beads of glistening dew under the full moon's pale shine. Feeling the terrain under my footsteps transition from the padded blanket of silver blades of grass to the irregular impressions of chaos embedded on the cooled mud brought me to examine the path ahead of me. The Fallen bodies, mostly broken from my methods of extreme prejudice lied atop each other, a twisted and contorted mass that looked like a disturbing statue in poor visibility. Walking around it, I came to the Admiral's body. Slinging my rifle for the moment, I passed it and proceeded to walk up the broad steps lying before and above me.

_"Tharsos, they're coming,"_ Lukos told me, his tone suggesting his studious watch on the skies was following our visitors' approach. _"Two drop ships from the eastern flank."_

Standing at the top of the pyramid, I examined the Admiral's head, thinking to myself. "Establish defensive positions," I told my team, turning to the east. Two hovering shadows grew larger, and the moonlight's reflection intensified as the clarity of their image sharpened. As they parked, I watched as approximately two dozen soldiers emerged from them.

"Now, Lukos."

Uncannily punctual, I saw a faint glow fly to the nearest of the Fallen drop ships and detonate in a stunning display of electrical discharges, the pilot's futile attempts to deny that our EMP rendered the vehicle disabled ceased, but only after seconds passed following the blast. Panicked, the second's burst from the ground and veered portside, the last of the Fallen soldiers still pouring from its sides and belly. Taking my trophy, I left the platform to join my teammates on what would soon be our next firefight.

As I ran forward, I observed the many sets of alien eyes scan their dismal environment, trying to lock onto their invisible enemy. Caring not to join my team in a concealed position, I decelerated and boldly walked toward the Fallen.

The second transport returned, only settling on the earth further away. From it, a silhouette exited and in long strides, Sarkaun appeared, breaking his subordinates' ranks. Stopping about thirty feet in front of them, I watched his golden eyes glare at me, a low growl I could even hear rolling in his chest. Refusing to give him an inch over me, I held his stare, thinking about how there was no better way to do this. One thing I had to give his Admiral before I ripped his head from his body was that sending a message in person was the most effective way to do so.

Without shifting my footing, I tossed his Admiral's head to his feet. Squaring up and equipping my rifle, I observed Sarkaun and his underlings examine it in the mud. The Fallen Lord's gaze slowly rose, falling right on me. Right where I wanted it. Clenching my jaw with my eyes fixated on the Fallen leader, I broke the thick silence with an oath, not caring if my enemy comprehended it or not, "Sarkaun... I will kill you."


	33. Chapter 33: Promise

Chapter 33: Promise

With eyes trained on each other, I knew both of our minds were like that of whirlwinds securely contained in mountains' caverns, but the second that felt like an eternity concluded. As I bolted for the nearest cover, the Fallen company dispersed with his reverberating roar, most of which stormed for my position. I could only trust that Selana and Lukos were taking care of their parts. So far everything was going according to plan.

Shifting around my cover's corner, my assailants were greeted with my rifle's hellish breath and as soon as its curses hit its targets, four fell to the ground, motionless. I had to conserve my energy. Sarkaun was the greatest threat, and I couldn't afford to underestimate his capabilities, seeing as how more could be unknown about them. As I pulled back around and started to change my position, a particularly large Raider leapt from above my defense and tackled me. Shock dagger in hand, he wasted no time in trying to end me as soon as possible. Barely parried in time, I shoved his forearm away. My shields flickered when the blade nicked my pauldron. Considering I was pinned on my back, it was expected, but the Raider didn't cease in his barrage. First head butting me, he reared back and began to loose a series of strikes at my helmet. Blocking about half of them, I waited for my opportunity and seized his right arm and in a flash reversed the positional advantage, securing my left leg over his face and right over his abdomen. With a swift and forceful shift of my hips, I snapped and released his arm. Flipping back around and taking note of the approaching hostiles, I decided not to let my melee last any longer and fired a few bullets into the Raider's face. Undoubting in his swift death, I reverted my attention to the oncoming Fallen.

Two Dregs, ravenous with an urge to kill me, lunged after my midsection with their weapons drawn. First evading the thrust, I popped my rifle's stock into his jaw, I knew his brain was no longer functional and proceeded to grapple with his comrade far weaker than me, breaking his neck. A burst of gunfire peppered my armor, deflected by my weakening shields. Before the Dreg's body hit the ground, I grabbed his body and used it as a shield for the Marauder's firepower. Fortunately I only needed the few seconds the slight frame could provide from the heavy hitting rounds.

"Report!"

_"Selana's in! What few have noticed I've taken care of,"_ Lukos replied, his sniper rifle's jaws snapping through the speaker.

Priming one of my Shockwave grenades, I lobbed it over the wall and waited for its detonation. Its answer was joined with the cries of a few ranged combatants, allowing me to close the distance with the rest. Darting through the chaos, I found myself in range to terminate those lingering. Leaving my position, I felled the closest with a fan of bullets. Frantic to silence my execution, two Vandals aimed their sniper rifles toward me. Preparing to evade, I shifted my footing, only to realize it was in vain. The first of their shots seared past my shoulder, thanks to their demises brought by the hidden Lukos. Even I couldn't verify where he was. Scanning the area with my body supported by my wary toes, I couldn't find any enemies near me, but in a flash of warped light, I was sent careening into the earth behind me. Exploding back to my feet, I was charged at by Sarkaun, both of his signature swords brandished and glowing, guided by precision and determination.

It was the first time I exchanged with Sarkaun, and it didn't take long for me to realize why he possessed his title. Were it not for my armor's thick plating, I knew I would have felt the singing heat pass near my skin with every swipe and swing directed at me. Every fraction of my focus and reflexes were required to avoid losing my limbs or head. As aggravated as I wanted to be for being purely on the defensive I couldn't escape, I knew I couldn't afford to be. Eyeing every motion as best as I could, I bided my time for a counterattack.

A crack splintered the atmosphere when Lukos shot at Sarkaun. His bullet was deflected by the Lord's highly protective armor and repulsion shields, but it gave me the opportunity I needed. Parrying the Fallen giant's right wrist to the side, I stepped underneath his chin and threw my hip into striking his jaw with the butt of my rifle. Landing squarely at the bottom of his helmet, it did sufficient damage to knock him off balance, but it was far from the hoped expectation that I would put him off of his feet. Immediately recovering from the blow, Sarkaun's sinister eyes returned to me before he warped again, flashing to my right flank and striking at me again. Unable to avoid the strike, I had to choose the lesser of two inflictions and stepped closer to him, taking the pommel of his sword into my pivoting shoulder. I felt the rear of my deltoid muscle flare with pain but stayed in motion and backpedalled away from the follow-up swing, leaving a horizontal trail of heat waves in its wake.

"How much longer?" I shouted, beginning to feel the onset of fatigue take hold over my body.

_"I've almost completed the procedure,"_ Petros replied from the safety of his aerial watch. _"Perhaps another sixty seconds at most, Guardians."_

As I continued to elude Sarkaun's eager attacks at a distance I couldn't attack from, I caught a few glimpses of once dispersed Fallen soldiers converge and attempt to join him in his melee with me. Hearing the dying shrieks incurred by Lukos' surgical aim, I knew few, if any, would reach me. Good. I wouldn't be able to fend both Sarkaun and his subordinates simultaneously. Having originally tried to pick shots directed at the Lord himself, I knew Lukos was frustrated in not being able to make effective hits with me at such a close proximity and the short-range teleportation Sarkaun frequently utilized to throw my reactions to the wayside. Even as he did, I was beginning to anticipate his movements based on the range and frequency it was capable of.

Having waited for a lateral swipe from the outside, I finally found my chance. First ducking my head just below the visceral edge of the Fallen's sword, I wrapped my hand around his attacking arm's wrist, while simultaneously fuelling my right fist with an electrical Havoc charge. Knowing my enemy's clever and coordinated responses wouldn't wait, I fired the punch into the side of his ribs. I felt a few give with the blow, but it didn't cripple Sarkaun. Reversing his hold, the Lord pivoted with my arm secured in his clenched grip. As he reared both of his swords up into the air, I jumped and put all of my strength into dropkicking him in his chest. Fortunately, that managed to free me from his hand, but it didn't put enough distance between us. Deciding to step it up a notch, my body burst into flame and I shot back upright to face him. Swifter, I dodged his next strike and loosed a quick flurry of punches into his side and darted backward again so as to avoid his swings.

I was beginning to feel as if I figured out how to fight him. It required attritional methods, but I was faster than he was, at least whenever he wasn't warping around me. Even so, dealing substantial damage was difficult with such dense alloys protecting his entire body. I was beginning to wish he wasn't so effective at closing distance with his targets. I was sure "Hail of Fire" would suffice in melting through his defenses, but in my predicament, finding an opening to fire upon him just felt like a sure way to get cleaved cleanly into pieces.

_"Done!" _Petros announced. _"Leave now, Ms. Kaiah."_

Although I was as on edge as one could be when faced with two fiery hot blades trying to end his life, I felt a wave of relief wash over me knowing she was free from her post within the enemy drop ship. Continuing my careful exchange with Sarkaun, I bought what time I could while Lukos finished the straggling Fallen off further away. It was time for me to finish this, and go on the offensive. Having baited the Lord into believing I had slowed so dodging was beyond my ability, I waited for him to step into his next strike. I was surprised he didn't over-commit. He was a very intelligent foe, but it didn't impede my plan nonetheless. Stepping diagonally and over to my left flank, I spun back around and kicked his knee. For a moment, he buckled under his weight and I fired off another series of punches in his gut and jumped back before charging again. Aiming for a powerful overhand right to his neck, I leapt at him, prepared to parry whichever sword proved to the greatest threat, I was struck down to the ground when he flashed to the side and pummeled me in the back between my shoulder blades.

Chuckling above me, I proceeded to pick myself up from the dirt, only to be pinned back down by Sarkaun's incredibly heavy foot. My helmet's translator began sounding when he spoke, _"I must praise you for your ability to defend and hide behind distance, human, but it was a feeble attempt. My test is complete, little one. I am beyond your ability to kill. Next time we meet, I will finish you. I will finish my kill. Consider it an honor I have selected you as my prey. Until then, wade in pools of regret."_

I heard steel slide across steel when the weight on my back vanished. Bursting back up to my feet, I looked around me, wondering where he had disappeared to. His warping ability had such short range. He should have still been in the vicinity.

"Selana, Lukos! On me!" I yelled, already charging for their position scores of feet away. As I did, Lukos appeared from the side shadows running ahead of me. After only seconds of sprinting for my teammates, I saw Selana emerge from around the destruction of battle and race for us. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared. Looking upon the back of the Fallen Lord, he vanished as soon as he had appeared and emerged from his warp over a hundred feet away from her at the functional drop ship. He stood and watched for a moment as I watched in horror.

Her stance was wobbling and she stood holding her torso just underneath her breast. As Lukos and I sprinted for her as fast as we could, she had already fallen to the earth, and Sarkaun, already aboard his drop ship, departed into the skies.

"Selana!" Skidding to her side, I carefully removed her helmet so she could breathe and my hands hovered over her chest as I watched blood seep profusely from her wound. Immediately pressing my hands against it, I looked at her, "You're going to be okay. We're going to get you out of here. Petr-"

She placed her hand gently over mine and shook her head weakly. As I set my eyes upon it, I was forced to watch as blood slowly mixed with the soil underneath her. Even as I watched hope wash away, my pressure on her torso didn't decrease. As I held it down, she lifted her hands up and secured her fingers around my helmet, unsealing it from its locks and sat it down beside her. "I'll bleed out before we get to the City," she coughed hoarsely.

The look in her eyes crushed me. The nostalgia that overwhelmed me was not desired in the least of measures as the possibilities of saving her raced and replayed in my mind. She couldn't even treat herself. It would only worsen her state and essentially kill her faster. Neither Lukos or I were trained medics for such a grave injury.

Our gazes locked before both began to glisten with sorrow. "You can't do this," I stammered. "You can't leave me." Selana smiled before placing her hand on my cheek and stared deeply into my eyes. I shook my head as I saw the content in her face, "Please... don't leave me."

She was quiet for a moment, but tenderly brushed her thumb on my face and tugged at my neck to be close to her. Gently picking her up and holding her in my arms, tears quietly broke away from my eyelids. "Thank you, Tharsos, for everything," she cried with a smile. "Most of all for not breaking your promise to me." I had never faced a struggle more difficult than retaining contact with her. "Thank you for never letting me go."

As I stared into the silver light of her eyes, I said the only thing to her that I had left unsaid for too long. "I love you. I love you so much, Selana, and I always will."

"I know. I love you too. More than anything." Holding her closely to my breaking heart, living out our last moments together, I wept as I felt her hold on my hand begin to weaken. "Tharsos..."

"Yes?"

"Kiss me."

I heard the faint sound of shifting dirt behind me as the watchful Lukos stepped away from us. I had broken completely, refusing to accept that this was my final goodbye. Leaning in to meet her lips, I clutched onto her soft skin as long as I could, even after her hold on my hand failed and her other fell from my face at her side.

Finally pulling away, I stared at the undesired truth as her head lied back over my forearm, her voice forever silenced and smile never to shine for me again. I could no longer contain myself. Tears flowed freely and fell upon her skin in a mute melody before I cried out into the heavens watching above us. I held onto her body, hoping it was a dream and I would wake up holding her close to me in bed. I called her name and screamed for her to come back to me, but I knew it was all real. In the end, all I could do was hold her lifeless hands and rest my forehead upon her own as my tears streamed down her cheeks.

* * *

Every cry that rang from Tharsos' lungs felt like a knife to Lukos' chest as he stood feet away and watched the solemn scene. He didn't have the courage to remove his helmet and clear his eyes of the tears he had shed himself. Part of the reason he parted himself from his teammates was to keep them stifled under his helmet. He started to feel guilty for not having kept his watch over his comrades. It reminded him of the story Kaeneth told about Thumos' death in the Buried City. The heartbreak Tharsos was suffering from made Lukos feel like screaming out his mistake. He wished it was him that Sarkaun had killed instead. It would have been a lesser loss compared to either of his teammates. It had already felt like an eternity since Selana had breathed last, and eventually Tharsos had gone utterly silent as he held her, brushing her hair from her face.

As Lukos occasionally glanced at his last surviving friend, he noticed the sound of distant thrusters approaching. Looking up into the sky, expecting to see Petros park the _Volframio_, he was instead met with the sight of an unfamiliar ship closing in from the distant City's direction. Already knowing what to expect from the passengers contained within, Lukos prepared himself as it got closer and closer before grounding. Seconds that felt more like hours passed as the wary Hunter waited for forces to come pouring out of the ship. Even when he witnessed who they were, Lukos didn't lower his rifle. Six figures approached, each of which were vastly unique in comparison to each other. It had been a long time since he saw them last.

"Put your weapon down, Lukos. We're not looking for a fight," Machaira stated, all of them aiming their weapons at him just in case of a need to respond accordingly.

"Not gonna happen," he said harshly.

"You think we like this shit job?" Keyla growled, stepping forward boldly. "If we could've helped it, we wouldn't be the ones to do this. Not to you."

"Lukos. Just put the gun down," Romphaia pleaded. "The last thing we want to do is hurt any of you."

He hushed and slowly lowered his firearm, but was still prepared to use it if he had to. "Damage has already been done," he said, turning back to face the motionless Tharsos and Selana.

Nekosheth Squad observed with sadness falling upon them. None of them could cut the silence with a knife, it was so tense.

"Why are you here?" Lukos asked sternly, not removing his gaze from Tharsos.

The hesitation couldn't be impossible to sense. "We're here by order of the High Council and FOTC to place Fireteam Shachal under arrest and detain them upon return... Will you comply?"

Lukos didn't answer. It wasn't up to him. If Tharsos was prepared to fight to the death for them to pursue their goal further, he was ready to die beside him, no matter who their enemy turned out to be. An awkwardly long period of time passed as they stared at Tharsos waiting for a response. At last, he leaned up and wrapped his arms underneath Selana's head and legs. Standing without speaking a word, he turned and approached Lukos and Nekosheth. His glossed-over eyes offered some of them only a moment of attention, one of which he studied closely was Machaira, before he looked back down at her closed eyes.

"I'm sorry, Tharsos," she choked. "I can't do anything for her this late."

A fresh stream of tears flowed down his face. "We couldn't put Kaeneth or Sideros to rest," he said somberly. "She deserves to go home." Moving past all of those present, Lukos studied his teammate walk toward Nekosheth Squad's ship without even a hint of resistance. He could see the self-disgust they felt as they followed them back to the vessel. Lukos came up at the rear, followed closely followed by Lonkhe and Keyla.

As he feigned obedience, he whispered into his comm, "Go silent until further notice, Petros."

* * *

In their return, only two things held Lukos' attention: Tharsos still clutching Selana's body in solitude, and the ship's exit. If there was one grace they were fortunate enough to have, it was that Nekosheth hadn't forgotten what they did for them in their joint operation. They stayed quiet in complete reverence for Shachal's loss. But as Lukos stared at the blank features of the steel door, he knew when their ship landed, those outside wouldn't be nearly as courteous. When he felt his body lurch with the vessel's descent, he looked at his cuffed wrists designed to restrain Light applications. A formality Nekosheth was forced to enforce with him for aiming his weapon at them. Tharsos, on the other hand, wouldn't let Selana go, and over a short discussion, Machaira decided it would be easy to excuse him for being compliant to their arrest. Lukos felt content with the fact. There shouldn't have been anyone else to bring Selana back home. There was no one better for that task, no matter how hard it was for Tharsos to wrestle with the weight of her death.

Blinded by the natural light, Lukos was first urged out of the door. Upon stepping forward, he laid eyes on the FOTC Command's generals accompanied by a heavily armed troop more than two dozen strong. It didn't take more than a glance for Lukos to see their thumbs and forefingers hovering ever so closely to their safeties and triggers. As Nekosheth stood like a wall behind Shachal's survivors, Machaira stepped between them to General Thusio Qorban. His stern features glanced over her as she informed him of the arrest going smoothly, and then rested on Selana's body in Tharsos' arms. Turning to one of the FOTC's soldiers, he released a firm nod.

Lukos watched the lone Guardian disappear into the rear of the crowd at a run until the Supreme General stepped forward with a grim expression strangely easy to discern on his metallic face. "Guardians Tharsos Katenos and Lukos Chorvo of Fireteam Shachal. You have been charged with treason for disobeying direct instruction from the High Council and FOTC Command, assault on City personnel, damage to security defenses, and possessing restricted property, and have been found guilty on all counts. Fireteam Shachal has been placed under immediate suspension. Both of you will be detained in the FOTC stockade's solitary until your trial tomorrow morning at 0700." Eythan Dunatos' gaze lowered an inch before he nodded at the troop, "Take them away." As they approached, Tharsos didn't flinch.

"Let them take her, Guardian Katenos," Dunatos said as sympathetically as he could without losing any decisive ground. The Titan looked down at her one last time, and after a long moment's hesitation, he gently handed her to one of the guards before being confined to the same restraints that bound Lukos. Led by nearly all of the soldiers, Shachal was taken to the FOTC headquarters, where they were secured in separate cells in the block. There, they sat in a silence that could only accompany the dead.

"Tharsos." No answer was offered into the still air. Lukos rested his forehead against the bars crafted from the same special alloy as their previous restraints, searching for the words that he wasn't familiar with. Instead he opened with some he knew well. "You know, sometimes I look back on the day I met you and Selana. Shit, even Kaeneth and Sideros... I hated all of you. It was guilt by association in my books. I couldn't bring myself to call the people that cast my parents out of the door and killed them my allies." The Hunter paused for a second and breathed sharply. "I even despised you up to the day you pulled my ass out of the fire Sarkaun had me in, but I was conflicted. I wasn't an Outcast to you that day. No matter how small, my life was worth something. And ever since, I've been watching every time that same benefit was given with all of us. Even now. I'm not gonna try to stop you from mourning. You hang onto your grief. I'm not capable of easing it, but I know Selana was always your comfort. I just hope you don't forget that she did everything she did because your life was worth something to her, and she was prepared for this. I know you were too and you would've had things go differently if you had it your way."

The atmosphere's mood hadn't transitioned in the least and Lukos leaned against his cell, peering into the indistinct features of the hallway, hoping the adjacent cell's occupant was understanding where he was trying to go. "I heard what she said about your promise. Wasn't hard to figure out what kind of circumstances you were in when you made it, and I could tell how much it meant to both of you, but I believe she wouldn't want you to punish yourself for her passing, Tharsos. Not like Thureos..." He sighed, "We're gonna figure this out. We're not going to let her death be for nothing. However we manage it, I want you to know that I got your back to the end, no matter what happens. It's the least I could do for a friend."

As expected, Tharsos still didn't speak. He said what he had to say. As a matter of fact, he didn't really know what else to say, so he just lied down and rested his head back on the cold steel excuse for a bed in his enclosure and stared at the ceiling. For the better part of the following hours, that's all he did, not even knowing how late the night had grown.

Feeling his eyelids grow heavy with weariness, Lukos almost succumbed to the alluring embrace of sleep, but when five sets of footsteps clattering in the hallway grew in volume, he pulled himself up. All of them were soldiers save one set. His observation shifted when the sounds stopped in front of Tharsos cell, and he listened. An excessive delay passed and Lukos began to wonder what was going on just outside of his confines.

"Why her?" the old man finally asked. "Why my daughter? Why not you, you son of a bitch?"

Tharsos remained as quiet as he had been since Selana died in his arms, but that didn't stop Helios from proceeding with his one-sided verbal exchange filled with anger, confusion, and brokenness. "Answer me, you bastard!" he screamed with the suggestion of released tears. "What was her life worth?! What did she have to die for? She was my miracle and you took her from me, only to have her die for _nothing_!" he seethed. Lukos felt an overwhelming urge scream out to silence the old man's offenses, but in hindsight, he knew it wasn't his place, and Tharsos wouldn't have wanted him to say anything in his defense. The outbursts drove the Hunter into a self-contained bout of rage, but he controlled himself as Helios spoke. "Before you were called to your trial tomorrow, I thought I should let you know some news we discovered from Selana's autopsy... Did you know she was with child? It doesn't appear so. She was very early, but a baby was conceived nonetheless. I wanted to give you the chance to join me in knowing what it feels like to have your miracle's life stripped from your very hands." His sorrowful tone hardened with bitterness, "May tomorrow bring you your death instead of exile, you cursed Katenos. You deserve no less for what you've done."

Even after Helios and his security detail left, Lukos fumed. As much as he wanted to express his fury to Tharsos, he restrained himself. The suggestion the Councilman made about Tharsos getting the death sentence made him nervous. He didn't want what he told Tharsos about Selana's death to be vain either. They had to get out, but Lukos had examined his containment well. He hadn't seen many things more reinforced, and to top it off, it suppressed their ability to use their Light. They were helpless, and their trials wouldn't wait for them. Hope dwindled faster than the Hunter had ever experienced. He fell into his seat, hating the realization that this was it. They failed. Kaeneth, Sideros, Selana. The cause they gave their lives for wouldn't be fulfilled. It was then Lukos accompanied Tharsos in the voiceless hell so kind to let them share the inundating despondency.

When a single set of paces echoed in the passage again, Lukos groaned under his breath at the return of more scornful speeches. But when he heard a sequence of clicks sound before Tharsos' cell, he furrowed his eyebrow. Picking himself up entirely, he stepped toward his cell's open face and looked over to see a large figure disengage the locking mechanism on his comrade's enclosure. After it slid open, he walked over to Lukos and did the same. When he stepped out, he took a good, hard look at the person who just broke them out.

"I wonder what kind of charge you would get for aiding traitors?" Lukos scoffed.

"The worst," he answered. "But as the FOTC's Supreme General, I'm allowed to make the kind of sacrifices your team has made countless times without indignity. Even if it's just once." Dunatos handed Lukos his weapons and they both turned to Tharsos' cell. He had only barely stepped out and stood staring into space. "Your weapons," the General stated, holding the Titan's LMG and shotgun out to him. He took them and slung them around his torso before stepping forward.

"Why are you helping us?" Lukos inquired with suspicious curiosity in his voice. "What do you get out this?"

"Nothing, Guardian Chorvo. In war, soldiers don't get anything. It's who they protect that benefits from their contributions. My interests lie in the Last City and its people's defense. I share those interests with Fireteam Shachal. These people need you to restore hope. You need to show them we can fight back and triumph. That's what we need more than anything else." Lukos clenched his jaw with his doubts slightly subsiding, but nodded in the dark. "All restrictions placed on your armor's systems have been lifted. Communications are operational, so you should be able to contact your Ghost and have him here by the time you reach the landing pad on the roof. Take the northeastern stairway. I can delay the response, but not for long. Make the best use of the head start you have."

"And what happens to you?"

"My associates help me disappear in plain sight while we continue to wage the war within the City. The chances of you seeing me again are unlikely. Just know that you do have friends left. Good luck, Guardians." With that, the Exo departed and vanished into the shadows. Without wasting any precious time, Lukos and Tharsos crept their way to their escape as fast as possible without drawing attention.

"Petros, do you hear me?"

_"I do, Guardian Chorvo. I was beginning to believe I wouldn't hear from either of you again."_

"Get to the FOTC's headquarters ASAP. Meet us on the roof. Working around the facility's aerial security check shouldn't be too much for you, right?"

_"Never. I am en route. Standby."_

Tharsos still hadn't uttered even a single word, but Lukos could sense the fortitude in the Titan's gait. Tightening his jaw, the Hunter picked up his pace to match his teammate's. The time had finally come. It was time to finish this.


	34. Chapter 34: Retribution

Chapter 34: Retribution

_"Convincing them of my clearance's authenticity wasn't challenging, but it won't take long before the security checkpoint discovers my override is both stolen and expired. We must leave at once, or we may never find another opportunity."_

Lukos led a closely following Tharsos to the live ship hovering just above the headquarters' landing pad. The fine dust whirling away from the thrusters' kiss blasted into the elevator barely closing its door. As Tharsos jogged up the ramp, Lukos watched them seal shut, almost as if they were a symbolic reference to their predicament. There was no turning back. Maybe Tharsos wasn't aware of how their previous charges had become more aggravated, but then again, there were more important things on his mind. Of that much, the Hunter had no doubt. Condemnation was about all they could find in the City now. It was ironic how they still fought for the human race, even though being labeled traitors wasn't unlikely, considering their disobedient actions.

The elevator was cut off from his view when Petros spun the _Volframio_ around and locked up the entrance. Immediately turning to meet their thinned group at the fore of their empty vessel, Lukos left that sight to a memory. When he entered the armory, it wasn't difficult to overhear Petros' exclaimed voice ring sharply from the cabin's walls.

"With all due respect, Guardian Katenos," the Ghost snapped, "that is about the worst course of action we can take at this point in time."

"What's going on?" Lukos asked, resting his hands against the doorway.

"He wishes to go to the Osiris administration's main facility."

The Hunter watched the still Titan's back. Initially, he was shocked at the news as well, and found it odd he was in agreement with the Ghost, but after a moment's examination, Lukos rescinded his first thoughts of disfavor. "We need to get there. To the Councilman's office more specifically."

"Do I need to explain what defensive measures the Osiris headquarters have installed and posted therein?"

"Just do it," Lukos retorted, taking note of the slight shift of Tharsos' head toward him.

Petros sighed, frustration emanating in his light's ambience, "Alright. I sincerely hope I am not the only one here who hasn't abandoned all reason. Hold on. What I said about the FOTC's follow-up remains a sensitive issue, so time as always, is against us. Now more than ever before."

* * *

Helios sat at his desk, one small, soft light resting on its tranquil face. There, he stared upon Selana's autopsy report. Drawing his withered hand over his face, he tried to contain his tears, only to hear them patter quietly on the desk and screen. He wished he nor his wife had to look upon the nightmare of a truth. Aster, consumed with grief, had hardly spoken to him since the discovery and had already left for their estate earlier, but it felt far from home without their daughter to share it with them. When a faint commotion reached his ears, Helios stifled his weeping to listen. Outside of his large office's doors, whimpers and whispers crept through the air, only to be then silenced with the entrance opening. Three shadows entered. One a woman's. Aster's to be exact. His somber expression hardened at the sight of two familiar soldiers become more visible in the gloom.

"Release my wife, Outcast."

Lukos complied, returning her to her husband, "We're not here to do either of you any harm."

"That bastard's already done the most harm to us as anyone could have done, but there's no reason you couldn't hold your share of the blame," Helios retaliated, clutching his wife at his side.

Tharsos approached them with a composed gait before he stood an arm's breadth away from the couple. Helios stood between him and his spouse, but Lukos could easily see the effect of the Titan's imposing stature in their faces. It was so unmistakably evident, when Tharsos proceeded to remove his helmet, they flinched at the expectation for him to assault them. The Hunter, too curious to simply observe the man's back, walked in an arc to better watch what happened. Fortunately for him, the best excuse for doing so was maintaining his sleight.

When he had made nearly ten strides around, he saw a pain in Tharsos' eyes that he hadn't ever witnessed. He didn't even look like the same person anymore. Although the soldier's posture was erect as what was natural, his head hung somewhat low, and a steady flow of tears rolled down his cheeks, some of which rerouted their course when they ran through the scar on his cheek. Even so, his voice's clarity was contrary to his display of emotion. "I know now what you meant, Councilman Kaiah. What it feels like to lose your miracle. I can't say what kind of father I would have been to my child, but I know you've been Selana's guardian all of her life and she's gone now... because I wasn't strong enough to save her. The least I can hope for now is being strong enough to avenge her. Before I left, I wanted to ask you to let me do that for the only woman I'll ever love, and when I return, you can pass any sentence you desire without resistance. I'll accept whatever satisfies you. In turn, all I ask from you is your blessing in ensuring Selana's death wasn't vain. I want to kill her murderer with your hand at my back."

Helios clenched his jaw and his nostrils flared. Lukos could tell he was trying to overcome his hatred for Tharsos, at least in part so that he could agree with the Guardian and his personal mission. "You kill the one who did this to her, and then I have you killed," he replied, staring up at Tharsos. The Titan nodded once, setting his glossed over eyes on Helios and Aster.

"I won't ask for your forgiveness. Just don't hold anything against her for bothering with me." He didn't make eye contact with Lukos when he turned and exited the room. The Hunter glanced at Selana's parents, understanding that they wouldn't contact anyone to arrest them. He had no words of his own and followed Tharsos back to the _Volframio_.

Upon their arrival at one of the Osiris facility's landing pads, Petros was already beginning to ascend from their ship's rest, _"We must go right now."_ Alarms began to sound from the FOTC HQ in the distance. In seconds, more alarm stations spread throughout the City followed suit to issue their warning. Tharsos and Lukos broke into a sprint and jumped up on the hatch. Securing themselves as soon as they possibly could in the passenger hold's seats, the vessel shot away from the building at an incredible velocity. Petros hadn't even bothered sealing the _Volframio_ until long after they were clear of the Wall, during which the atmosphere screamed like a siren over the City's failing noises. As Lukos stared out at the shrinking image of the Traveler, he felt they were lucky in keeping Petros a secret all of this time, thus keeping their objective a mystery to any potential pursuers. It felt like an eternity before the ship leveled off. Lukos didn't know it could accelerate at such levels when he removed himself from his seat's restraints and compensated for the inertia as he walked into the armory, where Tharsos had entered just before him.

"Are you ready for this?"

Tharsos stopped before he reached the cockpit, "It's not a matter of being ready or not anymore. It's about doing what we have to do." Lukos tightened his jaw and nodded slowly. "If you want out, say it now. Once we break through the atmosphere, you won't have another chance."

The Hunter scoffed and shook his head, "I'm not pulling out. I told you I'd back you up. That's what I'm gonna do."

All he received in response was resolute eye contact, "You do know the chances of us coming out of this alive are slim?"

"This isn't about us living or dying, right? We're just doing what we have to do, Tharsos. Don't worry. I'm prepared for what happens."

The Titan nodded in silence before entering the cockpit where Petros was alight with activity. "I'd take a seat if I were you," he said. "Beginning atmospheric exit procedures. I don't need to remind you there will be turbulence." Tharsos, barely fitting in the copilot's chair, strapped himself in, whereas Lukos comfortably found himself tightly restrained in the pilot's seat. "Disengaging stealth fields. Accelerating to maximum threshold."

"How are you holding up, Petros?"

A long pause passed while the Hunter studied his figure, "Ask me that when we complete our task, Guardian Chorvo. For now, I'm healthy, functional, and determined to aid you in educating the Fallen that the only reward for harming Fireteam Shachal as they have is a swift and excruciatingly painful retribution."

* * *

The gas giant's flashing storms beneath its atmosphere had me in a trance. They had no voice, but the power produced was likely unimaginable. Even their signals seemed as if they were burdened or strained behind their veil. Aside from the Ghost's irregular and infrequent whirs sounding like a soothing mantra, the cabin was without a voice of its own. It was of little concern to me though. Even if anything was in need of mentioning, I had no desire to speak. Regardless of my wish to deny the fact, Selana's passing was a reality I hadn't come to readily accept yet. As I stared upon the unblemished face of Jupiter's surface, I almost believed she was just in the passenger hold resting or in the armory issuing maintenance on her equipment. But it took only a second of thought to realize that the vessel was empty outside of the occupants in the cockpit. I yearned for none of it to be true, but no matter how much I longed for it, she wasn't with me.

"Beginning orbital transition procedures. Engaging stealth systems. I presume either we arrived first or the Fallen are on the other side of the planet."

Lukos and I looked through the cockpit's fore window, earnestly awaiting the sight of a Fallen fleet resting within Jupiter's orbit. The wait wasn't long. In a matter of minutes, the edge of the school of degraded vessels taking the likeness of ancient, sea-like monsters came into view. Were it not for our resolve in bringing this conflict to an end, first impressions would demand fearing the size of the fleet, even if its condition was in question. I exhaled quietly as the image broadened, and shortly after, my attention was drawn away from the Fallen ships. Most of them hovered around an immense relay jutting out of the planet's gaseous atmosphere. Tethers of a greenish-golden energy were secured between several of the most healthy of alien vessels and the relay's decagonal concave surface, approximately ten miles in diameter. Throughout its surface area, around one hundred elongated isosceles-faced pyramidal structures sat still, tethered to the relay themselves.

The Fallen ships appeared to be struggling to pull the station from Jupiter's grip. As they strained with the massive weight, I realized the pyramids docked to the relay were only those at the uppermost layer. Other decagonal platforms, only smaller in diameter, lied below the first, also housing the same structures.

"Are those ships?"

"Yes," I answered Lukos. "Their own aren't fit enough for an assault. This is what they planned on attacking the City with."

"So this is what they were waiting for. Why did it warrant waiting though?" Lukos asked, furrowing his brow.

"If I had to formulate my own hypothesis, the Fallen biding their time had more to do with the artifact in their possession rather than their patience. Perhaps it's linked to this construct. It's likely prepared now, thus allowing them to withdraw it from Jupiter's atmosphere. Amazing, I must admit."

"What is?" Lukos inquired, glancing at the Ghost to his right.

"This collective of vessels was perfectly hidden. The planet's electrical storms would serve as an excellent form of safeguarding this relay from detection. Whoever left this to be protected by Jupiter were quite intelligent."

"Not to take anything away from our Fallen friends, but I don't think they would store any of their weapons before using them. As mentioned, it was well hidden. So who shared the location of their ordnance with them?"

Petros didn't respond. His light dimmed almost completely as our shadows disappeared from the cockpit's surrounding surfaces. "I'm detecting a familiar signal," he said at last, then continuing to himself. "They haven't scrapped it for resources?"

"What?" I asked.

"The battleship you infiltrated with Kauson is here, therefore meaning the Falcon we were forced to abandon is here as well. I had no notion it would remain existent considering the Fallen's scavenging nature, but for it to still be here... They must have been desperate to initiate their offensive. I can only come to conclude the Darkness they have was restored sooner than expected. We must make haste in cutting the head off of the snake."

"Not yet. Take us to the Falcon first," I protested sternly.

"But we cannot account for how far along their arrangements are. If we neglect eliminating Basan'atosh, they may have sufficient time in mobilizing their newly acquired fleet."

"They won't stop once they've come this far. Even if we kill him, someone will seize the opportunity to finish the Last City with this kind of strength anyway. Our first priority has to be disabling that opportunity, and by disable I mean destroy. We need to get to the Falcon. After our own countermeasures have been established, then I kill Sarkaun and we leave."

Petros was never one to turn his attention away from his duties, despite the fact that his multitasking capabilities were unmatched to the point that he could get away with it all of the time. But I could feel his eye as well as Lukos' gaze fixated on me. Listening to their silence confirmed to me that to some degree, they agreed. Although reluctant, Petros rerouted our course to the edge of the relay where the silhouette of the battleship we had previously boarded rested.

"Fortunately for us, the neighboring hangar is open. Reaching the Falcon shouldn't take long," the Ghost droned.

"We get in and out quietly, Lukos. Keep the _Volframio_ on standby, Petros. We're not grounding it in the battleship." The Hunter and Petros acknowledged in their respective manners. As we neared the worn edge of the vessel's open hangar, Lukos and I both stood and took our leave for the hold which opened up to us only moments later when Petros proceeded to park our ship in an empty space on the hangar floor. It was no wonder it was left unattended. Forsaking its ruined features appeared to be the only way to go. When I looked at the ground level exits, I could tell the decrepit doors decorated with rust and dents weren't in functional order.

"Getting through that's not gonna be easy," Lukos said, taking dissatisfied note of the same thing.

"You're going to cut through it." He glanced at me and then stared at the nearest door. I could sense a frown on his face beneath his helmet, but he walked forward, pulling one of his knives from its tight sheath. Meeting him at the door, I watched as he put all of his focus into determining the gauge of Light he needed to use to cut through the metal. A faint crackling popped and like a blowtorch, Lukos adjusted the output of energy to both hone the electrical edge and silence its call in the hollow belly of the battleship.

Pressing the blade through the steel didn't prove to be difficult, but patience was demanded and the Hunter guided the karambit over the door's surface until a full cut was made. Well thought of by Lukos, the slab of metal fell toward us and as he withdrew his knife, I set it quietly to the side and followed him through the hole into the unlit corridor. Following the passage to our left we continued toward the adjacent hangar.

Upon entering the healthier enclosure, we were met with the sight of the heavily-armored fighter ship, but neither of us could afford to overlook it for long. What I could tell though, was that Petros' assumption wasn't completely true. Much of the outer hull's plating was stripped away, but we were stopped at the vessel's entrance. "Petros, is disengaging the Falcon's locks going to be difficult?"

_"No, I still have the overrides for all of its programs since it was never returned to Dead Orbit for code decommissioning. Standby."_ Less than a second later, the door's seals shifted and parted to the rear of the body. The interior didn't look any different compared to how we left it. Apparently the Fallen had failed in getting inside and determined taking a little away at the exterior was the easiest means to do so.

"Come here," I called to Lukos who was still just outside of the Falcon. When he didn't reply, I grew curious and even concerned that we were discovered. Stepping out of the doorway, my worries were put to rest when I saw him stand motionless before a pile of rubble and junk the Fallen stripped from the ship. His behavior seemed odd to me as I approached, for I couldn't tell what in the refuse was worth examining, but when I drew closer, the object holding his attention became more clear. Stopping next to my teammate, I stared solemnly at the dishonored body of Sideros lying half buried in the waste. Where his head was cut was still in clear view and the memory of that loss returned with greater potency. Alive, he was one of the greatest threats to the Fallen. Now his body was nothing but their scrap metal.

"We will finish this," Lukos seethed with a whisper.

I didn't offer any response, but studying the heap more closely, I saw other items of interest lying with our comrade's remains. Reaching for the first of them, Lukos' fury was hushed for a moment. A few objects worthy of no remark clattered upon the chipped, grated floor when I picked it up.

"His scout rifle, 'Grim Omen'," I said, admiring the master-crafted weapon. I handed it to Lukos before crouching down again to pull the second and much larger item from the debris. Hefting it between both of my arms, I gazed at Sideros' launcher, "Celestial Hammer". Both firearms were still in excellent condition, though fired several times each from the Exo's final stand. I checked to see how much ammunition was left in "Celestial Hammer", which wasn't much, while Lukos examined the rifle awkwardly, as if he was guilty of betraying the Exo he had come to respect for holding it. "Sideros wouldn't want anything to go to waste. He would want us to complete our mission," I told him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Take it. he's gone, but it has more kills left in it yet." His tense shoulders eased shortly thereafter and he tucked the stock into his shoulder, getting a feel for the fit. Looking one last time at Sideros' body, I felt remorse fuel my determination times over. "Come here. I need your help releasing the housing on the Falcon's missile docks.

As we turned around a localized, shrill clang sounded. Observing the ground at our feet, Lukos knelt on the ground and picked up another object we had grown familiar seeing. Sideros' wakizashi always looked out of place in his hand, but it did appear fitting in the Hunter's. Offering him a firm nod, we returned to the Falcon.

"Which encasement do you need open? Missiles aren't going to do us a lot of good, Tharsos."

"We don't need the missile. Just the payload. Most of their military strength's gathered here. The Armageddon nuke is the key to destroying this relay and putting an end to the Fallen's campaign. It's how we crush the Union of the Houses."

* * *

"We don't know if they have aerial defenses established and can't risk our only means of escape. Set us down here and engage the _Volframio's_ stealth fields. We move on foot from here."

"Without question. Where to though? We don't know where the Essence is," Lukos countered sensibly, slinging Sideros' scout rifle around his back and equipping "Rude Awakening".

"Petros, can you infiltrate their network and determine its location?"

"I can as easily as ever, but it's a risky move. If they detect my presence-"

"They won't," I interrupted him. "You'll tread cautiously as always."

Uncertainty seemed to grip the Ghost, but he must have found some relief as he rose from his port and transformed. Taking hold of the small disc Petros reverted into, we took our leave, but in the armory, I stopped to pick the Armageddon warhead and remote detonator up. As I grew comfortable with the nuke resting on my shoulder, I sighed deeply. I didn't know why it was something I took special note of. Perhaps it had to do with the finality of this mission. Reflecting on the day in Old Denver when all of this began, I retraced my memories chronologically until they led me to where I was standing. Turning around, my eyes stopped on "Make My Day". The familiarity of never using it was still fresh in both body and mind, but for some reason, I felt an overwhelming urge to bring it with me. Setting the warhead down for a moment, I removed it from its mount and squeezed the ergonomic grip. Holding it firmly in my hand, I grabbed the bomb again and proceeded to exit the ship, and upon setting foot on the surface of the relay, its invisibility was activated.

"Now we just need to find a terminal to access this thing's infrastructure," Lukos groaned, shouldering his rifle.

_"Taking this dock's immensity into account, lacking plenty means of communication seems like a fault the Fallen or their allies wouldn't make. I expect we will happen upon one sooner rather than later,"_ Petros assured him.

"That sounds like a double-edged sword, if you ask me," the Hunter retorted. "Let's go. The relay's light sources benefit us assuming we approach the center. That would be my best guess as to where the Darkness is anyway."

In all of our operations, we had never made a more flawless invasion. Having only two people allowed us to remain unseen more effectively, but more so than the rest, this was the most tedious. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take us to reach the heart of the relay. It was already taking such an extensive period of time, I feared the strange pyramidal vessels were going to take off while we were still on the ground and all of our efforts and sacrifices to this point would have been for nothing as the Fallen would set out to decimate the City and everyone in it. Any hope of crossing paths with our objective was far from unwelcome. In fact, I was praying for it.

When Lukos stopped, my expectations skyrocketed, but as I examined our surroundings, I couldn't see the sarcophagus-like container we had been chasing since Mars. What I did see though was the next best thing. Petros may have been correct in saying there would be terminals regularly installed on this construct and we weren't fortunate in finding one. That is, until now. Luckily for us, it was unattended. We had been sneaking at the base of the massive ships' shadows since we left the _Volframio_ near the edge of the relay. This terminal rested on a glass-like pedestal that appeared to be connected to the surrounding ships.

"Petros."

_"I detect it, Guardian Katenos. Take me to it as soon as safely possible."_

I turned to Lukos, "Are we clear?" He scanned across the various paths branching out from the intersection before us for several seconds before he lifted his eye from his scope and nodded. With haste, we were before the screen littered with indecipherable symbols. It didn't appear to be Fallen in origin. Withdrawing Petros from my belt, he materialized and immediately began breaching through the system, a bright ray of light shining from his eye connected him to the tech's internal workings.

_"I see. These devices serve multiple purposes related to these ships. Diagnostics mostly, but it appears as if they are what relegate energy to the vessels, so I should be able to trace it in reverse to determine where the energy is being received from. One moment. Linking location to your HUDs. Wait... What is this? Guardians-!"_

In a flash, Petros' light and form vanished and he was reverted to his secondary form and fell with a light cling on the floor. Even then he was dark. "Petros, do you copy?" I asked, trying to keep my panic under control. Had his fears come to pass? Did they detect him? "Petros!" The Ghost didn't reply. No strobe called to our eyes as he lied on the ground. I picked him up and examined the disc.

"Is he alive?"

"I don't know," I answered sharply with frustration.

"Damn it," Lukos muttered. "We gotta go, Tharsos. If the Fallen figured out we're here, we're going to have an entire army bearing down on us. Let's get that nuke armed and get out of here."

"We can't do it here. It has to be armed at the energy source. The damage output should be more extensive if we overload the source at the closest proximity. We need to ensure the Darkness won't survive this."

Lukos shook his head and paced around in irregular circles. "Let's make it quick then. Petros is out for the count. Might as well be half blind now." I placed the inactive Ghost back in my belt and clamped firmly down on the warhead on my shoulder as I followed Lukos to the waypoint Petros was barely able to provide us.

"What do you think happened to him?" the Hunter asked as we transitioned from one gigantic shadow to the next. They appeared even more immense when on the ground. It felt as if they were just shy of mountains towering stoically above us.

"I'm not sure. This has never happened to him. There's something about this mainframe that's different. We know what power we're against here. Maybe when he traced the energy signatures back to the source, the Darkness retaliated. It could be that Petros could have discovered something important and got too close."

"I can't wait to put an end to this."

"Lukos, it's become even more imperative that we extract from here alive. Whether or not he is, Petros might have found something valuable to the war effort."

"Understood, but let's just get this bomb primed first and then we'll worry about getting him back." I agreed, and as we continued forward, I was beginning to feel hopeful that Petros wasn't discovered by the Fallen. There wasn't any activity where we were going. I could only assume the enemy forces were boarding their new ships elsewhere on the relay. Even so, the haunting thought of the Darkness' capabilities, even in its current state, worried me. I couldn't say firsthand what kind of threat it was with its back against the wall. Maybe it was harmless now, but thinking of how it reduced the human civilization spanning the solar system in such a short time, I could only imagine what it could do if it was given the opportunity. I wanted to be sure it wouldn't receive that chance.

At last, we had arrived at our objective. The circular framework of pedestals, walls, and platforms that jutted out of the concave floor encircled a slot at their center, filled with the prismatic artifact that cursed us since first happening upon it. About every five seconds, a pulse of deep, dark blue light shot upward into a series of rings oriented in a broad cone that increased in diameter as they stretched outward. On the ground, beams of similar likeness shot outward and disappeared under the shell. I predicted they led to the terminals around the ships.

"There it is," Lukos exhaled as if in disbelief.

"Stay here. I'm detecting high levels of radiation from the core. Your armor won't defend you from it as substantially as mine would me." I jogged forward and carefully placed my steps as I descended the arced floor. My shields began to flicker and slowly decay under the influence of the radiation. I didn't have a lot of time, but fortunately I didn't need much. Placing the Armageddon warhead near the port, I began preparing it for remote detonation. As I set the controls on the keypad, I heard a faint hiss through the background noise caused by the pulsations of power. The sarcophagus' glass-like surface broke apart. Its hundreds, if not thousands, of separate plates shifted, rotated, and slid across each other, opening the interior up slightly. The sensation bore a strange kind of dread as wisps of black and gray flicked out of the openings and flared over the surface. The pulses grew more intense and frequent, firing upward and through the floor more rapidly. Taking note of my shield's health, I retreated back to safety. Lukos awaited, undoubtedly eager to escape from the soon-to-be blast field in space.

"It's primed?"

"Yes, let's get back to the ship."

"Couldn't be too soon," he said, taking off at a sprint.

As we raced back to the _Volframio_, we took only the bare necessity in regards to caution. The booms sounding from the generator core bellowed from the distance behind us felt as if they carried the same sinister voice the Darkness had in the prism. I came to believe it knew our intentions and was accelerating the preparations for the fleet. It was now a race to see who would disembark from this relay first. Would we do so first and watch the Fallen's goal disintegrate in Jupiter's orbit, or would we watch them set out for an unprepared Earth, powerless?

We took what felt like the hundredth turn in our swift escape. It very well could have been, but I didn't bother to think about it more than necessary when I heard the nearby pyramids thrum to life. Greenish yellow and abyssal blue lights gradually became visible on their surfaces, and as we ran, I watched the color sluggishly grow more saturated. They were nearly charged.

"We need to pick up the pace, Lukos. We're running out of time."

He answered with action, taking off at an incredible speed. Following suit, I used just enough Light to boost my velocity as well. But skidding around one of the many web-like intersections, we halted. Blocking our path was a troop of Fallen soldiers. They were furious to see us and wasted no time in attacking.

I hurled myself forward, kicking one of the fore assailants in the chest and into the ground. My weight met the floor, signifying his ribs were completely crushed and his ruptured organs encased within. A series of blasts followed, striking me in the torso. My shields depleted more. Bringing up a Ward shield, the rest of the gunfire was deflected. Some of it ricocheted backward, wounding the frontline. Conserving my Light reserves, I disabled the Ward. Timed perfectly, Lukos blinked forward, firing "Huckleberry" into the weakly armored fighters, its shredder rounds tearing their flesh apart.

Switching to "Hail of Fire", I squeezed the trigger and fanned the barrel side to side, watching it penetrate the closest foes and those behind. Unseen by me, but not by my comrade, Lukos teleported again to my right flank and shoved his knife into a Raider's jugular and followed up with a forward kick, sending him quickly to the ground. Before the close-range attacker stopped gurgling and clutching at his throat, Lukos was gone again. A second later, in my peripheral I saw two golden arcs spin swiftly amidst a small crowd of Fallen, dismembering almost all of their extremities. Turning to my nearest targets, I threw one of my Shockwave grenades as hard as I could. Jumping backwards to avoid the blast, I was already shooting the straggling soldiers, as was Lukos, but by the time the last ones were felled, more approached to finish what they started. Fallen Honor Guards formed a phalanx and charged after us with shock spears set forward. Behind them, a burst of light streaked across the space in front of me, and only a moment after, a massive figure appeared tens of feet to my left in front of Lukos.

Sarkaun swung one of his swords downward at the Hunter, who deftly managed to leap backward, avoiding the blow, but his sniper rifle however, was split in half. Glowing bright orange where it was cut, his primary choice of weapon lied on the floor only a second before the Fallen Lord slammed his boot down on the receiver, smashing it to bits.

"Damn you!" Lukos exclaimed. Adjusting his footing, he withdrew "Grim Omen" and began firing into Sarkaun's midsection. Darting backward further, more of the shots struck the giant's armor, only this time exploding upon impact. As expected, Sarkaun's armor was as resilient as ever. Resolved to test it against my LMG, I focused bursts into his chest as well, only to see him reposition himself behind his closing Honor Guard, who began thrusting the blades for me. I managed to deflect a few, but others came close to piercing my chest. My only salvation was being able to sidestep and utilize my shields to redirect them across my chest or back. Kicking one of their knees in, I parried the spear's shaft and swung it sideways, striking the adjacent Guard's head. It barely had any affect and his brothers proceeded to slash at me. Just when I thought I was going to be finished by one of them when my shield's power level was near minimum, Lukos dashed through them, a single cut with his Arcblade enhanced wakizashi severing them all at the waist.

As they fell, Sarkaun continued his attack at me. I spun to the side and pushed his attack arm away and distanced myself from his counter to my counter. The Fallen Lord stood erect and chuckled, _"I told you I would kill you, little one. Little did I know, you would be so impatient to see your demise exacted."_

Glaring at the behemoth, I couldn't have cared less about him mocking me. All I could think about was slaughtering him and the satisfaction I would feel when I did. Sarkaun held my gaze as he stepped away from the heap of his Honor Guard. My teammate walked forward, readying himself for the fight. "Stop there, Lukos. He's mine."


	35. Chapter 35: Storm

Chapter 35: Storm

Like crashing waves just preceding a violent storm, the ships' groans of life rolled upon me. Like drums, I felt my heart rate beat with the slumbering beasts' waking growls. Half of my conscience was torn from me as I became one with my surroundings. The rest of me was still revisiting the memories of loss caused by Sarkaun and the hatred I held for him. But when the reverberations ceased and the rumbling rooted at my feet calmed, my entire focus was placed solely on the Fallen Lord. However our battle would thrive through to its conclusion was beyond my care. All I knew was that I would kill him no matter what, even if I did so with my expiration.

"What are you doing?" Lukos objected, anger rising out of his words like a serpent's venom. "Whatever you're thinking, I don't care. We're fighting this son of a bitch together."

I couldn't imagine how frustrated he was. The grudge we shared against Sarkaun was like a thorn for both of us, but I wouldn't have this fight any way other than my way, "I know you want to kill him badly, and I'm not going to weigh our losses against each other, but I have to do this alone."

"Damn it, Tharsos..."

"Stand back. I won't repeat myself." Sarkaun's casual gaze bounced back and forth between us as he slowly paced to my left, both of his swords in hand and obviously thirsty for my blood. Before Lukos could voice his response, I was prepared for the Fallen's sudden strike. Sidestepping away from his thrust, I stepped inward and shoved my LMG's stock into Sarkaun's gut as hard as I possibly could. Without waiting for an effect, I stepped back once and kicked the side of his knee toward the center of his base.

He roared, from what I could discern was out of momentary pain, but as expected, it didn't dilute his fury or slow his retaliation. As he swept his sword backward, I ducked and somersaulted to my left, fully expecting a second blow to follow. When I rolled up from my back to my feet, my prediction was proven correct as I watched the Lord prepare himself for the next exchange. As I studied my opponent shift his footing repeatedly to throw off my reactions, I thought about my first attacks. Sarkaun was slower than me, but not slow enough to warrant standing in front of him and partaking in a back and forth exchange of attacks. I would surely lose. But I had to determine where his armor was weakest. The composite and metal alloy at his midsection was very dense. I wasn't going to be able to slow him further that way, but taking his legs from him was still key.

Shouldering "Hail of Fire", I released a burst of fire high at the Fallen commander. His reply wasn't expected, but it would have to do. Flashing to the sides in a zigzag fashion, Sarkaun closed in on me and swung at me again. It wasn't until he loosed nearly half a dozen punches from his lower arms that I realized his first attack was only a diversion. Focusing Light into my legs, I launched myself backward to recover from his weighty blows and avoid any further ones, but Sarkaun smelled blood and didn't pause. My shields managed to absorb most of the impact, but I knew that if I were to lose them, I would maybe have my ribs broken with another barrage like that. As he charged after me, I couldn't foresee me surviving if I tried to dodge, so I took the only option left. Joining him in what appeared to be a melee borne of desperation, I bolted after him as well. I kept my body high, and when he attacked again, I took full advantage of his unguarded lower body and skidded toward him and swung my elbow into the same knee I struck earlier, and then launched myself again to safety as his leg buckled under his mass.

Sarkaun let out a guttural growl as he slammed his injured leg's boot down on the ground, immediately shaking the pain off. Instead of risking another close melee, I aimed my weapon at his knee and fired half a drum as I evaded the Fallen's wrathful approach. By the end of my assault, I began to see a difference in his speed and dexterity. My opportunity was closing in quickly. Slinging my rifle around my back, I attacked as swiftly as I could with a powerful leap, electricity charging my entire body. A potent desire to stand above his lifeless and mutilated body distracted me. Upon reaching him, Sarkaun sidestepped once and put his entire weight behind a devastating hook into my side underneath my right arm. The strike combined with my momentum sent me flying. The last time I felt like I was hit remotely this hard was in Old Denver when the Praetorian struck me with his spear. I wasn't quick to my feet. I could tell at least one or two ribs were broken now. As I started to pick myself up, an incredibly sharp pain didn't just stop my movements, but my breath as well. Sarkaun's massive frame grew larger as I knelt on one knee. I only needed one shot. I waited, but when my chance arrived, I couldn't muster the strength and watched as another downward blow filled my view.

A flash blinded me, and when the cloud of streaks blurring my vision dissipated, I watched as Sarkaun clutched at one of his lower arms, severed at his forearm. Lukos spun around from my right and began firing his revolver into the giant's face, forcing him backward. "Get the hell up, Tharsos, or I'm gonna kill him before you do. I can dice his ass up."

"No, I have to do this. Move out of the way."

"Stubborn bastard," the Hunter scoffed, reluctantly stepping away with his sidearm ready for the next fight. "Go down again and I will finish him."

He didn't need to worry. I wasn't going to be in that position again. I pushed the pain aside as I stood back up and equipped my LMG again. As I waited for Sarkaun's move, I couldn't help but notice my slack hold my weapon. Out of frustration, I tightened it and steeled myself for the next exchange. In an instant, the Fallen Lord reversed his grip on one of his swords and thrust it into the ground. Fortunately for me, that already appeared suspicious and when he threw a shock dagger at me with unmatched force, I barely had time to dodge its flight path. By the time I turned back around to face him, he was already upon me again. Expecting another sweep from his swords, I didn't see the flying knee that was his true intention. The power was so momentous, it picked my feet up off of the ground and sent me reeling back. Fortunately for me, it didn't land squarely on my head, but my chest was feeling heavy though. My preparations were nearly complete as I opened fire on Sarkaun again, trying to follow him as he flashed away from the fiery bullets whilst closing the distance to finish me. He mirrored the same movements I had witnessed when he fought me on Earth just before killing Selana. The Fallen gave me what I wanted. When I couldn't see him anywhere in front of me, there was only one place he could have been. Ignoring the pain and fuelled with adrenaline, I spun on my heels and immediately created a Ward shield. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Sarkaun's swords struck its surface with incredible force, but I had been conserving my energy as much as possible while I waited for this, and it paid off immensely. The blowback actually broke one of his swords and its splintered blade's shattered pieces rained down on the floor while the other simply recoiled out of the Fallen's hand and flew into the air above us. I couldn't help but smile at the thought that the technique Selana taught me was my ace in the hole. Even Sarkaun couldn't keep up with what followed. The Ward shield disappeared and behind it my fist glowed so intensely with fire and electricity, it nearly blinded me from my target, but with the stunned Lord unable to even mount a defensive, I wasn't in danger of missing. Launching up with all of the strength I could muster, I fired my uppercut right underneath Sarkaun's chin. The blow lifted him up off of his feet and had him falling to the ground, but before his back even hit the ground, I had latched onto his sword midair, generated another Ward shield and launched myself with another Havoc propelled jump toward the falling leader. His sword's blade struck the metallic floor beneath him before he did and sunk deep into it. He wasn't going anywhere and the terribly loud roar of pain confirmed it.

I watched as his large figure struggled against the blade pinning him to the ground. I had to admire his resilience. Despite being stabbed underneath his ribcage, Sarkaun continued to fight, but when I slowly shoved the blade deeper into his torso, his resistance ceased and the beast started to laugh on the ground, _"The little human wasted his opportunity to kill me in one blow. As is the feebleness of humanity."_

Pinning his upper left arm to the ground, I reached down and tore his helmet from his head and threw it aside. I wanted to see his face. Leaning down with an irremovable grip on his heat sword's handle, I spoke as clearly as possible, "I finish my kills." I couldn't have cared less about what he had to say, even if I gave him the chance. My connection with this creature was finished, and with all of my strength, I roared viciously as I swept the sword plunged into Sarkaun and the floor upward, splitting his torso and head in half vertically. After the gash reached its end, I slammed the sword back into his divided face horizontally. Ether poured out from his entire body as his blood splashed down on my armor from the forceful swing.

I sighed as I walked away from the Fallen Lord's mutilated corpse. How he died was the least he deserved for how he killed those dear to me. My father. Kaeneth and Sideros. Selana. As much as it hurt to know they were still gone, I was relieved he wouldn't be taking anymore lives. Without giving him another thought, I turned to Lukos, who appeared to be stunned at how I ended the Fallen's life. It was time for us to conclude this mission.

"I couldn't have thought of a kill like that," Lukos said, trying to convince me as if I wouldn't believe him. "Ready to get out of this place, big guy?"

"Let's go," I exhaled, holding my wounded side.

"You alright?"

"I'll live," I answered, lowering my hands. Lukos turned, but I stopped at an unexpected sensation through my composite under-armor's glove.

"You coming?" the Hunter asked, facing me with an implied inquisitiveness in his actions. I pulled an object from my belt and held it out. He stared at it and then proceeded to look back up at me, words lost to him.

"There's no salvaging this," I said, dropping the remote detonator to the ground. "At least not without Petros or Selana."

"Let's just go, Tharsos," Lukos pleaded. "We can end this another day."

I shook my head, "No, we can't. We both know the City isn't ready for an assault of these proportions. This has to end now."

I watched as my comrade paced in protest before me, shaking his head all the while, "No. No, there's gotta be another way."

"If Petros wasn't disabled, I can imagine he would be able to access the detonation sequence remotely or he would be able to repair the circuits in the detonator," I offered vainly. "But I don't know how long he's going to be in his condition. We can't risk waiting for him."

Lukos sighed sharply, "So what then? We just blow up with this station?"

"No, Petros has to get back to safety. Only one of us is going to stay to manually start the countdown while the other gets him back to the City."

The Hunter's eyes met the floor, reluctance, anger, and probably even fear holding his head down. "Alright," he said hoarsely. "I'll stay. I'm not worth much there, but I can do this."

I stared at him and he locked eyes with me, even though they were hidden behind our helmets. His naïveté in this situation was almost something worth laughing at. But maybe he knew what I knew and just didn't want to think about the harsh demands our scenario required of us. "Have you forgotten? I'm not technologically inclined. I'm no pilot. And your armor won't protect you from the core's radiation long enough."

His pacing halted, his vocalized frustrations quieted, and his gaze stopped on me, "You can't ask me to do this, Tharsos. I told you I was going to back you up until the end. I'm not going anywhere."

"I wasn't asking. I'm giving you an order. Our battle's finished. Your oath's been upheld and I expect you to fulfill this one as well. See an end to this conflict. For good."

Lukos scoffed, "I can't end this war."

"Prove yourself wrong." Lukos and I had come a long way as teammates and even as friends since meeting nearly a year ago, but as I observed him, I knew one thing that wouldn't change in him was his ability to accept things for what they were. That and saying farewell. As he stood, hesitation and disappointment gluing him to the floor, I stretched my arm forward, waiting for him to return the gesture. He stared at my open gauntlet and clasped my forearm and shook it in silence while looking at me. "It was an honor, brother, to stand next to you." The Hunter didn't respond, but I could tell he was still trying to resist against the decided fate we were both faced with. "I'll try to hold off as long as possible so you have time to get to the _Volframio_ and get clear of the blast radius. Now get going. You have work to do." With that, I held his wrist firmly, withdrew Petros from my belt, and placed him in the Hunter's palm.

I watched the man only a few seconds more, as he understood that I remembered his first words to me when we met. It was the best way I could think of to tell him I had faith in him and his mission. But I had said everything I needed to say and turned away, running back for the Darkness reviving this ancient fleet. I knew Lukos hated the vanity of sacrifices as much as I did, so I had no doubt he would do as I told him. As I retraced my steps, following the old waypoint Petros would have been good to remove from my HUD if he were in operational status, I reflected on a very specific memory with my father. I was very young at the time and didn't understand what he meant when he told me about men and their destinies.

He explained to me we were set on a track that was purposed for something and one day every person would come to learn what their purpose was. It was no surprise his words spoke to me so much now. I thought back to how he told me that the greatest expression of strength is coming to terms with your destiny and facing it with bravery, because whether you turned your back on it or met it face to face, you were going to experience it either way. As I neared the prismatic artifact and the vile power surging from it, I acquired a newfound appreciation for my father's words of wisdom. I knew I was face to face with my fate and I was content. I wasn't afraid.

While I examined it, I tried to account for the time that passed and how close Lukos was to the ship, given the worst case scenario. Knowing him, I could give him about two or three minutes. Maybe four. It felt strange to think about the time I had left, but not in a way that deterred me. From beneath the almost deafening bursts of noise sounding from the Darkness' core, I heard the approach of Fallen infantry and it took only a moment before they opened fire on me. I couldn't afford to fall, and ran deeper into the center of the concave pit housing the Darkness while they proceeded to surround me and the measly cover the short obelisks within offered me.

Their gunfire was carefully placed so as not to damage their fleet's energy source, but I wasn't provided with many opportunities to return fire. Leaning back against one of the taller of obelisks, I snapped around the corner for a brief time to fire my drum's remaining ammunition into my enemies. Not knowing where they were exactly amidst the rest of the small protrusions, my shots failed to eliminate any of them, but I managed to catch sight of a few. First reloading "Hail of Fire" for the final time, I breathed in deeply and aimed around the other side of my position to throw off their expectations. This time, I managed to kill two of them, but I could tell they were closing in. Likely just fast enough to have me expend all of my munitions and kill me at close range.

Taking the last of my Shockwave grenades, I tossed it along the floor. It rolled upward nicely and detonated near the top of the crafted crater, sending three other bodies flying away from the epicenter. Those outside of the lethal range were shocked by its electrical charge and exposed themselves. Taking advantage of their open defenses, I placed small bursts into their chests, instantly killing them. In a rage, the remaining forces returned fire aggressively, and I could barely hear their forces replenish from a distance, but the increased volume of firepower couldn't deny that there were more soldiers surrounding me than I thought.

Soon enough, my LMG ran dry, and the hollow click implied the loss of another "friend". I had relied on this weapon for so long, only to hear its fiery breath for the last time. Having actual respect for the weapon, I sat it down on the floor at my feet and withdrew "Celestial Hammer". It only had three missile canisters left, but I knew it would be effective in clearing the hostiles out. Placing its ergonomic brace on my shoulder, I pivoted and fired the first canister as a compact cluster that fired down the range of obelisks and detonated along the far edge of the concavity. The explosion didn't fail to impress and several cries echoed through the sounds of combat. As I returned to my cover, a bold Fallen charged after me, trying to kill me in a melee. An intense pain shot through my torso as the Raider unintentionally hit my broken ribs. As a reflex, I parried his following strikes and slammed his head into the obelisk's face twice before his body went limp, but having exposed myself, I took three well placed shots to my body. Another hit my right leg as I pulled myself back behind my defensive position. It was then I realized the radiation more so than anything had rendered my shields useless. I could only wonder how long I had been fighting without them.

Furthermore, I thought about how long I had fended them off. Was Lukos near to or on the ship? To be safe, I decided to try to hold my enemies off longer. Leaning my back against my cover, I inched my way back to my feet and fired the other two canisters at my enemies, each taking several lives each. I fell back down to the floor, dropping the exhausted missile launcher in the process. Inhaling and exhaling laboriously, I stared at my immediate surroundings before glancing at "Make My Day" strapped around body. Pulling it from around my head and shoulder, I rested my head back and flared my fingers around its grip and trigger. As I did, it felt differently. I had failed Thureos. For years, I was tormented by my inability to protect my little brother, but the guilt didn't grip me now as badly as it had all of that time before. I wasn't sure if it was because I had forgiven myself in some manner or if it was because there was one person I didn't fail after all of this had passed. For the first time in my life, I felt worthy of using my family's shotgun in its final moments. Pulling myself back up to my feet, I was reminded of how effective and accurate this weapon was when target after target was blown back from the buckshot. As I placed all of its ammunition into my foes, it reminded me of shooting it with my father and brother at firing ranges when I was younger.

My content smile diminished when it was depleted of its shells. The Fallen had landed a few other shots in me and I slid down to the floor, "Make My Day" resting still on my lap. After all of my weapons were emptied, I realized just how extensive my injuries were. My ribs were making it even harder to breathe. Several muscles' strength was reduced to nothing since shrapnel tore them apart. While no serious arteries were hit, I was bleeding badly and I wondered if I was internally as well. Weakly setting my shotgun to my side, I stared at the Armageddon bomb while the Fallen continued to try to fire at me, even though I was mostly concealed behind the obelisk.

I had to trust that Lukos was clear of the blast radius. I had to have faith in his ability to complete his mission. Even if the Fallen and Cabal, in part, were beaten back, there were dangers to humanity, both within the City and outside of it, still thriving. I regretted not being able to do more, but I couldn't help the circumstances that forced us into this situation. As my vision gradually darkened and my hearing dulled, I realized it was wrong of me to doubt him and put my uncertainties to death. I had to believe he would succeed, but I knew I couldn't fail here either.

Picking my heavy body up, I pulled myself toward the nuclear warhead and placed a weak Ward shield between my attackers and me. Nearly falling over, I set the counter on the bomb to thirty seconds. Staring at the static, holographic numbers on the small screen, I thought of the end of my mission being only half a minute away. More so, I felt some accomplishment and relief in being able to rest easy knowing I succeeded in my final hour, despite all of my defeats as Fireteam Shachal's leader. When it counted most, we were victorious, and as I leaned upward on my knees, I pressed the activation key and watched the timer tick down.

My head hung low and my eyes were closed. Before I drew my last, there was only one thing I wanted to think of beforehand. I missed Selana so much. All I wanted to do was see her again. I didn't know when I would, but for the first time I was thankful for my keen memory and looked back on my days with her at my side. A tear signifying so many things streamed down my face before I opened my eyes and watched the counter at five seconds. I would be a part of this annihilation. Fuelling my body for one final Havoc Fist, I was engulfed in a storm of flame and lightning and slammed my enclosed hands down in front of the Armageddon nuke, releasing all of the Light I had left in me to join the detonation in defeating my enemies. A blindingly bright flash of light enveloped me, concluding my last defense for humanity.

* * *

The nuclear explosion was without sound, but the illumination created from it was undeniably extraordinary, and Lukos glanced to his side to look at the overwhelming glare stretch its fingers out through the space he had put between him and the relay. Sweeping back around after having ensured he was clearly out of range of the blast, he observed the scene. The Armageddon nuke was no weapon to underestimate. Lukos couldn't account for much of the material that made up the relay. A few larger pieces that were further from the epicenter of the blast either floated in Jupiter's orbit, or were being propelled into its atmosphere and space. None of the pyramidal ships seemed to survive the explosion. Many of the Fallen vessels were destroyed as well. Those that survived began to distance themselves from the cataclysm.

Tharsos prevailed and crippled the Fallen efforts single-handedly, but Lukos detested the cost this win had to come by. The _Volframio_ had never felt more lifeless. The Hunter stared into the black of the cockpit, no voices or presences to accompany him back to the Last City. As he recounted his last words with Tharsos, all he could think of was the regret he felt for not being able to stay with him to the very end. It haunted him for hours as he steered the vessel toward the center of the solar system. If any of them were still alive, he knew none of his teammates would have scorned him for leaving. It had to be done. But no matter how much he tried to convince himself that he did what he had to do, it didn't feel right. He felt like he betrayed his trust. As he stared at his hands on the controls and consoles, Lukos despised the fact that he was the only one that was able to pilot the ship and Tharsos was the only one that would be able to withstand the radiation. He wished for nothing more than to be able to trade places with a man he deemed more valuable to him than his own life.

The Hunter's heart grew even darker and more confused as he continued to his friends' home; a connection he couldn't share with them. For several hours, he couldn't find the escape of sleep, but when his body couldn't keep up with his despair, he almost did. The sight of Earth becoming more visible was the only thing that stayed him succumbing to that respite. While he neared, Lukos wondered how he was going to explain everything to the City's leadership concerning Shachal's actions. He didn't really want to, but Tharsos' final wish was for Lukos to continue fighting the war he would have fought if he could, and bring it to a conclusion favoring humanity. Determined to see his comrade's desire come to fruition, the Hunter was determined to suffer what he had to in order to see it achieved, or at least do as much as he could toward that end.

* * *

Saying Lukos was disconnected and withdrawn from his superiors' one-sided remarks was definitely an understatement. Since before having touched down, he was escorted by patrol ships to the hangar itself when he approached the Wall. There he was secured in several restraints, including those that nullified his ability to manipulate or discharge his Light, and was led under heavy and wary guard back to the Council Hall. Fastened to his stand, Lukos stood inaudibly, surrounded by not just the High Council and FOTC, which wasn't ordinary for them, but the Minor Council as well. Murmurs of curiosity and disdain whispered on calm currents in the open and acoustic space while the High Council and generals, eyes fixed on the lone Hunter, struggled to communicate anything to him.

"How long will you refuse to answer our questions and idle?" Councilman Polemos sneered, impatience spoken mostly from his tapping fingers rather than his voice. Yet another unvoiced reply lingered.

But eventually blinking his silence away, Lukos' gaze shot upward, "How long did you intend to sit idly by while the Fallen put their guns to your heads?"

"You would do well to note who you're addressing, Outcast," the senior politician retaliated, leaning up in his seat. "Test my patience again and I would see you executed before exiling your filth to the Wilderness again."

"You would like to see that, wouldn't you?" Lukos remarked promptly.

"Quiet, both of you," the stern Chief Councilman interjected. "Guardian Chorvo, we cannot resolve this issue until you decide to participate. If you would, please explain your and Tharsos Katenos' actions to the entirety of this committee. I prefer to pass fitting justice determined by the full truth instead of resorting to sentence a man because his stubborn silence accused him of inaccurate faults. Why did you and your unit disobey direct orders issued by the High Council and enforced by the FOTC? I find it hard to believe blind mutiny was your goal."

"Whatever your courts judge 'fit' for my supposed crimes, I'm not guilty of anything deserving of your inflated sense of justice," Lukos hissed. As his statement closed, his eyes fell on another detached member of the meeting. Helios' eyes were drawn into empty space as the Hunter's were earlier. He was obviously still overcome with depression over Selana's passing, but Lukos couldn't help but wonder if Tharsos' absence occupied his thoughts to a substantial degree as well.

"I want to help you, Guardian Chorvo, but please don't overextend your brash freedoms. The last thing I want is for your guilt to intensify due to your behavior. Again, tell us why you defied orders."

Lukos' shoulders fell with his exhausted sigh, suggesting to his audience there was much to his justification, but when he spoke, his tone had it decided that he would put it plainly. "We did alone what you should have done."

Councilwoman Shomah let out her first words, "And what was that specifically?"

"Putting an end to the genocidal campaign started by the Fallen. On several occasions, your conglomerate of authority hadn't displayed decisiveness, preparedness, or a desire to defend what you claim to hold important to you, namely the City's people. We would have asked for your support, but at every crossroads, you forced us away from the inevitable threat that loomed over us for the better part of the year. You killed your trust, so we continued the mission we started in Old Denver, because it _had_ to be done. Someone had to do something unlike all of you who sat on your asses and watched blissfully as extinction came to reap an ignorant harvest."

"Your conceited reply isn't doing you any favors, Guardian," Major General Pistos informed the Hunter. "You accuse the City's sworn leadership of intentionally neglecting its defense against the Fallen assault?"

"I am. Once, I wasn't sure if I could blame all of you for sitting on your hands, but as my team repeatedly tried to follow your demands, it became all too clear that you didn't hold this place in as much regard as you like to think you do."

"So what would you have us do then?" Polemos asked coarsely. "Thank you for your performance rooted in disobedience? For your success in accomplishing your brazen goal?"

"Don't thank me. Thank my team who died for your sorry ass, old man. I saw those ships. Trust me, if it went your way and you waited for the Fallen to attack your Wall, you would have been crushed once their fleet destroyed it. From now on, you can rest assured knowing Kaeneth, Sideros, Selana, and Tharsos gave their lives so that you could sleep peacefully at night."

"I've had it with this Outcast! What person in the City would respect our authority if we let this disrespectful little shit go with only so much as a slap on the wrist? The least he deserves is death and an unmarked grave outside of the Wall."

"Hodego, who would respect our authority if we flew into a rage at every insult thrown at us? As a matter of fact, how many thousands would die if we answered their disapproval with that same brutality?" Councilman Manda countered from his relaxed position. "We aren't tyrants. Although his manner is distasteful, Guardian Chorvo is entitled to his opinion, even if it's foundation is questionable or outright false."

Supreme General Dunatos' mighty gaze fell upon Lukos and he came out of his silence. Lukos knew there was at least more to this Exo than the other nine officials seated around him, but whether he was friend or foe was still in question, and no one needed to know he broke prisoners out of confinement other than Lukos and the general himself. For now anyway. "So Tharsos Katenos has truly perished?"

Lukos aggravation settled and the sting of that truth crept back into his mind, "When Kaeneth died and we commandeered the Falcon heavy-fighter, we were forced to leave it behind on the Fallen battleship. When Tharsos and I went after them again, we found it and took its warhead. After the detonator was damaged in a battle, he stayed behind to manually detonate it while I came back here."

"Unfortunate your places weren't switched," Polemos muttered whilst glaring at Lukos.

"It is," the Hunter said quietly.

Chanan shook his head, "Tharsos Katenos' death is a great loss to the City's defense. I'm sorry." Lukos wasn't necessarily expecting sympathies to be exchanged toward a traitor, but he didn't voice a reply.

"You never struck me as one to abandon your allies," Helios Kaiah said suddenly, his hollow tone falling heavily on Lukos' conscience. "What was it that forced you to return?"

He hesitated. Lukos knew it was dangerous to lose Petros. One of the most significant reasons for Tharsos' sacrifice was to ensure any information the Ghost might have secured would be communicated to defend the City. He must have known the threats as well, but Lukos wasn't equipped or trained to repair him, so he decided to disclose a lie. "Petros, our Ghost, learned more about the Fallen than we thought, but he malfunctioned during the mission. Between us, I was the only one capable of piloting the ship and getting Petros here safely to be repaired."

"I see," Helios murmured, falling back into his personal solitude.

"What will we do with the accused?" the ever-dutiful General Thusio Qorban asked his associates, not failing to keep his eyes locked on the Hunter.

"You know where I stand," Councilman Polemos answered from the end of the table.

"What do you have to say in your defense, Guardian Chorvo?" Councilman Herpeton called. "Your blunt and daring honesty is admirable in some regards, and I would like to hear what you think about any judgment we may or may not pass on you."

"I've never begged for my life, and I never will, but you need to ask yourselves if you truly think you're safe. Sure, the Fallen have been defeated. For now at least. But how long will it take before the next organization of our enemies threatens your lives. Are you going to repeat the same mistakes you made in this instance? How many Guardians will die? How many innocents? How many lives that you could have saved will you extend wasted condolences toward? Before Kaeneth died, he told me about a soldier's legacy. One should aim to never leave war in their wake. Not every one of them succeeds, but the last thing I want is my team's deaths to be pointless." The Hunter turned around to face the 250 other Council members he didn't know, "My family died for you. They died for everyone out there. Will you fight to endure because of their sacrifices, or are you gonna spit on them like you do at the death every fallen Guardian has offered in exchange for your lives?"

Indistinguishable words were shared in hush around Lukos, but many eyes fell low in shame as he pointed their faults out. He stared long and hard at the nameless faces and hoped some permanent impact was made on them. Facing the leadership seated above him, he was met with mixed reactions. Some bore understanding expressions while others remained stoic and reserved. Polemos, of course, retained his hostility toward the Hunter.

"Aside from the obvious desire to see value, for lack of a better word, in your teammates' deaths, what is it you want most, Guardian Chorvo?"

The Hunter's jaw clenched as he thought about how he would answer, and his audience waited patiently, voices hushing as he contemplated. Making bold and unwavering eye contact with the Supreme General, Lukos opened, " My father used to tell me stories about the legendary Fireteam Shachal and how they gave the City hope beyond belief. I want to see the hope my team bought with their lives. I want to see the people fight for life. But more than anything, I want to kill every son of a bitch that wants to harm my friends' home until none of them are left standing."

* * *

Calculating losses. Expendable personnel quantities: Approximately two hundred thousand. Surviving combatants: Inconclusive. Expendable vessels destroyed and damaged in blast: 172. Construct's vessels destroyed: All. Cause identified. Fifty megaton nuclear explosion detonated at center of uppermost level of construct. Hostiles accounted for: One. Terminated with nuclear warhead. Anomaly detected: Hostile presence infiltrated Zenith mainframe prior to detonation. Compromises to Zenith integrity: Minimal/maintainable. Probability of data intercepted by hostiles: Inconclusive. Scanning for signature: No successful scans yielded. Unit corrupted. Probability of revival: Minimal. Diagnostic scan on remaining energy cells: Uncompromised and charging. Approximate time until completion: Less than half an Earth cycle. Transmission prioritized. Sending. Zenith confirmed. Disengaging.

In the deep and dark abysses of space near Jupiter, a shadow left its point of observation, being the recently destroyed relay. The Tsa'ah race failed their personal mission, but expectations were not foiled. Possibility of their errors were accounted for. Same routines were made for the Barzelor. Their purposes had been served and their usefulness was becoming trivial. As the vessel's shadow left the scene of devastation, hundreds upon hundreds more appeared from the darkness behind it and lurked forward, reaching deeper into the center of the solar system. Biding time required discretion and patience. The purpose of doing so was for the benefit of maximizing the probability of accomplishment. Unlike the faulty Tsa'ah, when their time was ready, the denizens of Earth wouldn't be able to counter a hostile attack and wouldn't see their doom until it was inescapable. Their targets' eradication and acquisition were imminent.


End file.
